Briars
by fuzzy-purple-bats
Summary: Julia Speck is twelve years old and paralyzed from the waist down. However, when she moves to a new school in Free city, she finds out her destiny is linked with the Warriors Character Briarlight. This is a Warrior cats as humans fanfiction. Rated T because of mild language, the fact that it's Warriors, and... Crowfeather.
1. New school

I am in front of the door to the Artemis Academy Middle School. I gulp.

I'm Julia Speck, an out-of-the-ordinary twelve year old girl. And, based on the looks of the Artemis Academy, nothing but what is considered normal will be welcome.

I wish that I'm back at Silver Lake Middle school, my old, familiar, school. But after the accident and then the move, I had to start an entirely new life. Already girls are staring at me in my wheelchair, at my thin, unmoving legs. Why must this be happpening? I just want to be home with Katy again.

I take a deep breath and enter the building, students watching me from all sides. The AA (Artemis Academy) is a serious looking school, with silver colored floors and quotes from famous people engraved on the walls. AA is an all girls school, and the boys in Free City go to the Apollo Academy.

The girls all wear matching silver uniforms and Mary Janes. I feel even more out of place in my old pink tee, baggy jeans, and worn out sneakers.

I find my locker and dial the combination (You use a keypad- fancy). My locker swings open and I start to pull the stuff out of my backpack. According to my schedule, my first class is taught by Mrs. Sands. Better not be late.

Brushing my brown hair out of my eyes, I roll my wheelchair to classroom 232, Mrs. Sands, Level 4.2b, grade 7, maximum authority level. Wow. Interesting label. I guess that means she's strict. I open the door to her classroom and find that I'm the last one there. Mrs. Sands, an old, grey-haired woman with peircing green eyes, glares at me as if I just betrayed humankind.

"Ms. Speck, why are you late?"

A couple girls giggle at my name, but most of the class stares at me with robot-like indifference, only a small amount of them betraying their curiousity.

"Um... this is my first day, so I had to put my stuff in my locker, and then I had to find your classroom in a school that's bigger than I'm used to..." I begin to explain.

"You could have come here earlier to put your ITEMS in your locker. Please sit down back there." Mrs. Sands cuts me off, pointing to an empty desk next to a tall girl with platinum blonde hair, "And I'll mark you absent. Students at Artemis Acacemy must learn responsibility. Don't let it happen again."

"I won't, Mrs. Sands," I say, forcing back tears that have been forming in my eyes at the unfairness of it. I turn my wheelchair and consider pointing out to her that I can't sit down because I'm already sitting down. But I don't, and I pull up in front of my desk. The blonde girl smiles at me, revealing perfect white teeth.

"It's okay, Mrs. Sands is always strict." She says, "I'm Chloe, by the way. What's your name?"

"Julia." I say, grateful to have somebody nice talk to me.

"Hello, Julia!" Chloe says a little too loudly and the girl in front of us gives us a nasty look with dark green eyes.

"Becoming friends with the oddball, Chloe?"

Chloe glares at her, "Julia isn't that bad, Holly. Leave us alone."

"Why should I? Okay, now I think I know why you're being so nice to this JULIA. You're so desperate for friends, you're trying to befriend someone disabled! She's probably not right in the head!" Holly hisses at her. This infuriates me, already angered at many people today. I feel my face getting warm and I clench my fists. This isn't good...

"I'm perfectly right in the head!" I shout at Holly, forgetting about the rest of the class, "I just can't walk! Leave me alone, okay?!"

There is a stunned silence in the classroom. Holly raises her dark eyebrows and snickers. She quickly turns to the assignment that the class is working on just as Mrs. Sands walks up to me.

"Excuse me, Ms. Speck, but I believe you are supposed to be working. Chloe should have shown you the assignment by now, or were you too busy talking?"

Holly giggles, which causes Mrs. Sands to turn on her.

"As for you, Ms. McDare, I doubt you haven't been caught talking in class and I also equally doubt that you have done your work SO DO IT." And with that, she stalks away from Holly, leaving the students to shudder and work on their assignments.

...

I manage to make it through second period (Tech) and third (Pre-Al. *Shudder*) and I am heading to lunch when a small sixth grade girl with wavy blonde hair and large blue eyes stops me.

"Why can't you walk?" She asks innocently, "Do you have a broken backbone?"

I start, "Why, yes. You're a smart little kid to figure that out."

She raises her eyebrows, "Oh, but I didn't. Erin Hunter did."

_Who?_

I look at her, confused. "Who's Erin..."

Just then, the lunch bell rings. I apologize and hurry to lunch. Late again!

...

At the end of the school day, I grab my bag out of my locker and swing it, with some difficulty, over the side of my wheelchair. Then I roll to the front doors. Because it took forever to stuff my huge binders into my tiny purple backpack, the hallway is mostly empty. But when I open the front doors, I'm suprised to see Holly standing in the sunny courtyard greeting a slender woman with pale brown hair and two boys who are about as tall as Holly. But that's where the resemblance ends.

The first boy looks very tough and stuck up, with golden hair and eyes. He is wearing an Apollo Academy uniform, so he must have just left school.

The second boy is kinda weird. He looks a bit cranky and keeps on snapping at Holly, but I notice that he keeps close to the woman. He has odd colored hair: Kind of black, kind of dull brown, you could almost say it was gray. He is also very pale and skinny: While his brother's Apollo uniform fits perfectly, his is baggy and unflattering. But what catches me is his eyes: The palest, brightest blue eyes I have ever seen.

**I know, odd place to stop, but I WILL UPDATE TOMMORROW!**


	2. Holly and her brothers

**Thank you, Lilacstream99, Stuffed Watermelon, and Illuminastro for reviewing! **

**The begginning of this is actually the rest of chapter one because I had to cut the first chapter short to go to bed.**

**Enjoy!**

(Chapter 1- continued)

I stay there for a second, watching this odd group as Holly hugs the strange boy, who scowls and tries to duck away from her. I notice he's holding a cane. Interesting...

Holly notices me and frowns.

"What are YOU doing here?"

"Uh... nothing?" I manage to squeak, but Holly narrows her eyes and stomps up to me. I shrink back, unsure of the cause of her sudden fury.

"You had better leave me and my family alone, you hear? Mind your own business!" Holly nearly growls to my face. The brown haired woman who must be looks up from talking to the boys.

"Holly?" She calls, "Who is this?"

Holly sighs and looks at me, "This is Julia, mother." Then she pauses, suddenly looking friendly, "Hey, Julia, wanna meet my brothers? We're triplets."

"Sure..." I say, not knowing what else to do and getting more confused by the minute at Holly's changing personalities. I wheel over to the shorter boy and hold out my hand.

"Hi, I'm Julia. Your sister Holly's in my English class. What's your name?" I ask politley.

"Jay." Jay says pointedly, not taking my hand. Talk about rude. He won't even look at me. Rolling my eyes, I turn around to see the blonde boy standing in front of me.

"Please ignore my brother. He's grumpy usually. And he's blind, which I think is the cause of his extreme grumpiness. I'm Leo." He says all in one breath, then shakes my still outstretched hand. Blind? I crane my neck to look at Jay, who has an annoyed look on his face.

"Don't talk about me as if I'm not there, Leo! I have EARS, you know!" Jay nearly hisses at his brother.

"Good thing, too." Leo jokes, "Or you'd bump into everything twice as often!"

Jay responds with a sightless stare.

Holly has an interesting family.

** ...**

** (Now on to chapter 2)**

** ...**

I roll myself down the ramp installed into my family's new car made just for me (Why does it not feel like a present?). I go across the sunbaked sidewalk, up the ramp to the front door (That ramp was also made just for me) and into the house, my mother (Millie) following close behind me.

"Bella, Bobby, I'm home!" I call, wheeling into the kitchen to see my older sister by one year, Bella, craning over the dining table. She looks up and glares at me in annoyance.

"Julia, I'm trying to do my homework! Go away and bug Bobby or something!"

Older sisters. Sheesh.

I hang up my backpack on one of the coathangers in the dining room, then wheel down the dark green hallway to face a plain yellow door. I open it to reveal my room.

It's a simple room, with a desk in one corner, a white dresser in another, and my bed with support beams around it against the right-hand wall. The walls are pale yellow, and the floore is brown hardwood. I had a fuzzy white rug in my old room, but my wheelchair wheels would eat it up so we didn't take it on the move. I try not to think about before the move too much, because of all of the memories of running, then extreme pain, then the lack of feeling in my legs...

Shaking my head, I roll inside to do Mrs. Sands' homework.

...

Holly groans over a still blank piece of notebook paper, her chin resting on her hands. Mrs. Sands' assignment seems impossible to do and Holly can't focus for some reason. She keeps on thinking about that new girl...

"Holly, can I come in?"

Holly starts as she hears Jay's voice, yawns, then says, "Sure."

The door opens and her brother walks confidentially in, pulls over a chair, and sits down.

"What is it?" Holly questions sleepily. She really doesn't have time for this. She has to get back to moaning over her work.

"Well..." Jay fiddles with his jacket sleeve.

"Spit it out." Wow, that sounded like Jay.

"It's about Julia." Jay says, suddenly looking up to stare at Holly with a sharp intensity in his blue eyes. He knows that always creeps her out. "I feel like she's important for something, but I don't know what."

"Jay, stop being weird." Holly scoffs, "Julia's just another kid."

"No, Holly." Jay says, his blind gaze still fixed on her, "She has something to do with our destinies. And she has an even important one than ours. I know it."

And with that, Jay turns his gaze away and walks out of the room, leaving Holly baffled and annoyed. Destinies? What a load of garbage!

...

"Julia?"

I groan as I hear my mom's voice waking me up. I must have slept through my alarm. AGAIN.

"I'm getting up mom!" I call, still half asleep. Grabbing the support bars, I drag myself over to my wheelchair and slide clumsily in. Then I pull out of my pjs with some difficulty (Hey, at least I can do it myself now) and awkwardly put on my new Artemis Academy uniform. Then I wheel out of my bedroom door, down the hall, and into the kitchen. Bella and Bobby are already there, eating toast.

"Where's dad? I ask once I've set my serving of plain toast on the table.

"Oh, you know your father," My mom says, collecing Bella and Bobby's dishes, "Always getting up early to go to his job."

My dad, George, works as a college professor and is always getting up at the crack of dawn (Much to Mom's annoyance) to set up his classroom for the day. *sigh*.

I nibble on my toast.

...

Hours later, I wheel out of the silver halls of the Artemis Academy. Today was no better than yesterday, though I did catch that blue-eyed sixth grader staring at me.

Quite a few people are giving me odd glances, actually, though one girl with golden hair and green eyes looks at me sympathetically as I roll my wheelchair down the sidewalk. I must look pitful. However, besides those rare few, the majority of the girls rush past me as if I don't exsist; talking with their friends, their voices a meaningless chatter to me as I stare at the hundreds of black Mary Janes clacking across the concrete, attached to moving legs. People are surrounding me, suffocating, smothering me. They all can walk. I cannot.

"Woah, watch it!"

I turn to see a girl stop herself just in time to not run into me. I realize I have stopped moving and apologize weakly, rolling out of her way. I numbly look around at the beautiful school grounds, forcing my arms to move. This is my life now.

I will never fit in.

**And... done with capter two! Oh, yeah!**

**Yes, Jay IS a real name. I know four guys named Jay. FOUR GUYS! **

**And if you can't guess what is going on, the character's names must not be obvious enough... **

**Also, the sixth grade girl with wavy blonde hair and blue eyes is me in sixth grade. How old am I now? Why do you care?**

**Whoever can guess who Chloe is will get a cookie. **

**Bye!**


	3. Dreams

**Here it is: Chapter 3!**

**I do not own Warriors.**

**And cookies to: **

**Stuffed Watermelon**

**Emberclaw**

**Illuminastro**

**I was going to name her Cindy, but then I changed it to Chloe. **

**Hope you like this chapter!**

_I am running across the street, Nike sneakers clacking on the ground. It is pitch black out and stars dot the sky. My breath is heaving, sweat making my shirt cling to my sides. An owl hoots on a tree nearby, staring at me with yellow eyes._

_In the dream, the owl is always there._

_There is a race tomorrow. I have to win. I WILL win. Losing is not an option. Just a little farther. A little farther... _

_Thunder rumbles in the sky, and rain begins to drizzle down my back. I run harder. I don't notice the cold. I am immortal, invincible, I fly over the ground like my feet have wings._

_I live for running._

_Wind begins to whip my hair across my face; I am soaking wet. The wind whispers in my ears, taunting me._

_"You can never be as fast as me."_

_But I can. My energy is endless. I am free, free as an eagle. I am one with the wind, the sky, the stars. I have no name. I have no family, no friends, nobody exists but me, and the wind, and the rain. No worries, no fear. I am truly undefeatable. _

_I run through a path in the park. Nobody is there but the owl, watching me with golden eyes. Somehow, I know it is the same owl as before. It is watching me in this eerie twillight zone, but I don't care. It is warning me, but I don't listen. _

_Then there is a mighty crack, louder than the storm, as a tree in front of me gives a mighty groan. I try to stop running, but my legs won't respond. I am going too fast. I attempt to swerve to one side._

_Too late._

_With a sickening creak, the tree comes crashing down on me._

...

I wake with a start and groan. My forehead is damp with sweat and my breath is coming in ragged gasps. It was The Dream again.

Pushing myself up on shaky arms, I look at the digital clock on my small bedside table.

3:00. Great.

I slump my head back onto my pillow, knowing I will not be able to sleep. My thoughts are too jumbled, too full of memories I've been trying to forget. The Run, The Owl, The Accident, The Move... Each traumatic event has a name. I try to label them neatly in my head and store them away in a dark corner of my brain, but they always come creeping out into my thoughts. If only they would go away. Go... away...

By some miracle, I fall into a light slumber.

...

_The first thing I remember is the cold. And then the pain. I am mortal again, just Julia, not the goddess I was on the run. A blur of faces are swimming in front of me, worried, crying, encouraging me with tired looks on their faces. I can only make out a few small details before the world goes out of focus._

_My mother's tearstained face._

_The yellow clock with a smiling hen._

_The green stethescope in a nurse's pocket._

_The one bent stem on a bouquet of roses. _

_My family is like the bouqet of roses; I am the bent stem. I'm a cripple. Useless. Weak..._

_I will never run at night again._

**Ok that's all for this chapter. This one was mainly learning about Julia's past. You'll learn more in later chapters. Also, as you can see, I've been trying to make my writing more descriptive (I edited this chapter a lot) and I hope you like it!**

**I can promise another update around Tuesday or Wednesday.**


	4. Road Trip!

** It's finally here! Chapter 4! Yeah, that's right! CHAPTER FOUR! Give me a round of applause!**

***Silence***

**Well, then...**

**I don't own Warriors.**

Though I don't realize it, the sun has risen in the sky. I'm finally sleeping deeply in bed, my dreams filled with blurry images of half-forgotten memories, when I feel someone shaking my arm. Startled, I'm jolted out of my dreams, and I squint in the dim light to see my mom standing over me.

"Good morning honey! It's the weekend!" She says cheerfully, opening my yellow curtains. I wince at the bright light that fills the room.

"Mom, what time is it?" I yawn, using one hand to sheild my face from the sun, the other to prop me up.

"Six-thirty!" Mom grins. I can almost hear dramatic music in the background.

"What?! It's Saturday!" I complain, pulling myself up and sliding into my wheelchair. Mom shifts back and forth impatiently.

"Yes, but we're all going to a museum in Roaring Falls, and you know what that means..." She pauses for emphasis, "Road trip!"

Mom does Jazz hands as I inwardly groan. Road trips in THIS family are always a disaster...

"Get dressed," she says, throwing me a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt. Then she skips off to give me some privacy, humming to herself. That woman...

I pull on my clothes, along with black Converse sneakers and a jean jacket. Then, opening a small pink jewelry box, I pull out the one peice of jewelry in it: a white bead necklace.

I've had it since I was 5. The necklace has 10 white beads on it, 3 of which have pictures painted on them. Each time something good happens to me, as in REALLY good, I paint it on a bead. If I paint all 10 beads before I graduate high school, then I had a great school experience. The first bead has a picture of the necklace: The good event was getting the "Happy Necklace" for my 5th birthday. The next one has a picture of a girl with straight reddish brown hair: My first best friend, Katy, in second grade. The third one has a bittersweet memory: a picture of a Nike sneaker. It records me winning the elementary school running championship in 5th grade. I always was a fast runner.

Sighing (I seem to do that a lot), I slip the necklace on and roll out of my room.

...

"Are we there yet?" Bobby asks YET AGAIN. (What is it with younger brothers?) The Speck family is piled in our gray minivan, on the road. We are virtually in the middle of nowhere, Mom is singing campfire songs, Dad is calling his boss, Bobby is annoying the heck out of me, Bella is on her cell phone, texting her friends, and the whole car feels like a giant oven.

Yep, your average Speck Family Road Trip.

I lean my head back, but it comes to rest against nothing. Why doesn't my wheelchair have a headrest? I should totally get one installed!

Frustrated, I blearily turn to look out of my window; acres of dry farmland stretch out in all directions. Boring...

...

"We're here!" Mom calls to the backseat. The three of us cheer.

_Finally, the long awaited words are said, _I think, opening the car door. Mom gets out and unfolds the ramp, which I roll down.

Once I'm outside, I sigh and stretch my arms, breathing in the fresh air. Then I look up at our surrounding.

_Really, Mom? Dad? This place-_

"This place stinks." Bella complains, finishing the thought. We may not like eachother, but we have an uncanny way of telling what the other is thinking. Eh, probably because we're sisters.

And Bella is right. Both literally and figuratively, Roaring Falls Art Museum stinks. The place looks dull and gray, the opposite of what an art museum should look like. The sky itself is stormy and the few people hanging around look ready to leave. Most importantly, the smell of cow manure hangs in the air. Must be because Roaring Falls is surrounded by farmland...

Bobby gets out of the car, then gags and holds his nose.

"This place smells like cow poop!" He groans, then staggers backwards dramatically, leaning against the minivan. Mom glares at him.

"Come on, Bobby, it's not that bad!" She says enthusiastically, "Think of it as a Wild Family Adventure!"

Great. Just great. Wild Family Adventures are just as bad as Speck Family Road Trips. They always end in disaster. Like that one time when we went to Las Vegas and lost 4-year-old Bobby in a casino...

I suddenly give a jolt, startling Bobby, who is ranting about the smell.

"Julia, you okay?"

I don't listen to him. I'm staring at the entrance to the Rushing Falls Art museum. A semi-familiar figure has just burst out of it, turning around to shout at someone inside.

_Could it be...?_

It's when he turns around and a catch the glint of bright blue eyes when I recognize him.

_Jay McDare!_

**And that's where I stop for now. Sorry if the chapter isn't great. I had a little bit of technical difficulties with my laptop and lost all of my documents, so I had to retype this. I had chapter 5 written, too! Grrr...**

**I'm not sure when I'll update, so please be patient.**

**Okay, that's all! Bye!**

**-Jay With Falling Feathers.**


	5. The Owl

**Hey, guys! Guess what?**

**I'm back! **

**So, after a million years of not updating, I give you chapter 5!**

**Thank you so much, everyone who reviewed! It means a lot to me, truly.**

**Well, then, on with the story thing!**

**I do not own Warriors.**

After a loud commotion, Jay's fair-haired mother rushes out after him. She calls out and he turns and sighs. I strain to hear their conversation. Something about art…

Mom appears next to me, as usual.

"Who're you watching?" She asks, squinting at Jay, who has now started to walk back into the building.

I shrug. Holly and Leo have just sprinted outside, Holly's black hair swinging back and forth. I'm surprised they haven't noticed us yet…

"Just some familiar kids from school." I respond, turning my wheelchair around to go get my backpack from the car trunk. Then I notice that Mom hasn't responded.

Oh, yikes.

I turn around again and see that she's staring at the family of four with The Expression. Yup, the one your parents always have when they get a 'great' idea that everyone else ends up hating. The Expression is something that the Speck kids have learned to fear. It never means good news.

"Mom, what is it?" Bella speaks up before I can talk. She has a bright red bag slung over one shoulder and a worried look on her face. She obviously noticed Mom's expression.

"Honey?" Dad asks too.

"Mom?" Bobby pipes up.

Then Mom speaks up. By this point I'm shocked that Jay's family is still outside, oblivious to the fact that we're watching them.

"So, Julia, you said you know these kids from school?" Mom asks, a devious sound in her voice.

"Yeah, kinda." I reply nervously. I'm not sure I like where this is going.

"Great!" Mom beams, "We can spend the day with them!"

"Wait!" I call, but Mom has already started marching towards the McDares. I turn desperately to Dad, but he shrugs helplessly. Inwardly facepalming, I follow Mom, the rest of my family by my side. By now, Holly has finally noticed us walking across the damp concrete parking lot. I see her turn to her mom and say something, motioning towards us. Her mom looks up and smiles, walking forward until she meets my mom halfway.

By the time I catch up to them, the two are already in deep conversation.

"Julia," Ms. McDare says, beaming at me when I approach, "Nice to see you again." I smile weakly and wave, trying not to shrink under Holly's angry stare as she approaches with her brothers. **(A/N: Just want to say, about Holly being a jerk, it will all come clear in time. I don't hate Hollyleaf at all. In fact, she's my third favorite Warriors character.) **

"So, you wouldn't mind us spending the day with you?" Mom asks cheerfully.

"Not at all!" Ms. McDare responds, "Holly definitely needs more friends, especially after-"

At this she breaks off awkwardly, eyes wide. Holly sighs and steps forward.

"I'd be fine with hanging out with you." She says simply. I'm surprised by the look on her face. It's a dead, defeated emotion that dulls her bright green eyes. I'm used to seeing a spark of rage, instead.

"Yeah," Jay speaks up, flashing his sister a gentle glance, "I'd be fine with hanging out with your family."

"I don't know," Leo mutters, "are they cool?"

"Nobody asked you!" Jay shoots back.

"I was just wondering!" Leo snorts.

"Boys!" Ms. McDare cuts in. They're silenced, and she takes a shaky breath, before looking up at Mom, "I'd be happy to give our families a chance to bond."

"Great!" Mom squeals, oblivious to the drama. Bella frowns at her, arms crossed. I purse my lips. Well, at least today won't be terrible. Holly isn't acting rude, after all!

But what IS going on with her?

…

I loudly slurp my root beer with a thick plastic straw (surprise, the museum actually had a café!), sitting next to Jay at the circular table just big enough to seat all nine of us. And I didn't even get a seat, but instead had to squash my wheelchair in between Jay and Bobby. Eh. Could be worse.

Jay is nibbling at a greasy hamburger, looking bored. I honestly don't blame him. The museum was pretty dull, and that's coming from someone who could see all of the exhibits. The cheap fast food isn't helping matters.

But, then again, the McDare family turned out to not be all that bad. Leo was constantly making jokes about the boring displays, enough to make me laugh so hard that my sides hurt. Ms. McDare was nice, and even bought us all lunch with her own money. Holly was… tolerable. And I'm not sure what I think about Jay.

.. (My line breaks suck XD).

Much later, after deeply exploring the museum, the nine of us stroll out to the parking lot. Holly and Bella are deep in conversation, and I'm chatting with Jay. Turns out we both have more in common than I thought. We're both loners. We both make a lot of jokes (though he usually uses sarcasm). We both love orange soda, but hate lemon lime. We both hate being treated differently.

In front of us, Millie stops and says goodbye to Ms. McDare.

"We should get together again sometime." She smiles, and Ms. McDare nods.

"Yes, the kids really hit it off!"

I hear a hooting in the distance

"What days are you free?"

It's coming closer.

"Wednesdays and Fridays. You?"

My chest tightens as a dark shape lands on a tree branch nearby. Golden eyes stare straight at me.

"Friday sounds great to me. What do you think, Julia?"

My mom turns to me, but a can't seem to talk. I'm staring at the owl that's behind my mom's head. It's the same owl. I know it. From The Run. Staring at me with its evil eyes.

"I-" I try to speak, but my voice squeaks and dies.

"Julia?" Jay asks. His blue eyes are flashing with concern.

"Get in the car!" I yelp, wheeling away.

"Julia, wait!" My Mom calls, chasing after me. My mind is reeling in panic, heart thumping in my chest. It's the owl from my dreams. The owl. The owl…

"JULIA!" My mom screams.

I realized I have gone way past the car, almost to the street. Cars rush past me, nearly two feet away. Any closer and I would have been hit. I turn around meekly to see my family staring at me in confusion and concern. I take a deep breath, trying to get my heart rate back to normal as Mom rushes up to me.

"Oh, Honey!" She reaches down and buries me in a hug, "What has gotten into you?"

I don't respond. I'm too busy trying to stop the tidal wave of memories that's crashing into my brain.

**Wow, that got… deep.**

**I hope you enjoyed! If you did, please leave a review.**

**Also, please check out my new pole! It's a vote for my new name, for I need advice.**

**So… yeah! Ummm…**

**Bye!**

**-JWFF**


	6. Mom's announcement

**Woah… I didn't expect to finish this chapter so quickly…**

**Hey, everyone! Jay With Falling Feathers here bringing you chapter 6 of Briars!  
(Look at me, getting stuff done! Aren't you proud of me? X3)**

**So, yeah! Second update of the day! I'd say I'm on a roll!**

**Enjoy!**

**(I do not own Warriors)**

I pick listlessly at my plate of pasta with a fork, but can't find any appetite to eat it. It's probably cold by now, anyway. But that isn't why I'm not eating.

The whole family is sitting around the table in an awkward silence, the kind that fizzes with the electricity of unspoken words. Everybody seems to be thinking about my freak-out at the museum parking lot, but nobody wants to say anything about it.

This heavy silence was hanging in the air during the drive home, too, after I awkwardly returned to my family and said goodbye to the McDares (Holly kept looking at me like I was crazy, and Jay looked just plain confused). Even Mom didn't pester me by speaking, but instead with nervous glances that she's been giving me every five minutes.

But I don't feel like talking to anyone about what happened. It'd be weird, maybe, to admit that I'm afraid of owls. Or just to difficult to open up about. In truth, whenever I see an owl now it sends shivers down my spine. I usually convince myself that it's the owl from the day of The Accident, and that it's been stalking me.

Maybe I'm overreacting, but, then again, that night was very traumatic. To everyone.

Tired of sitting at the table under Mom's constant glances, I push my plate away.

"Not hungry." I murmur quietly. My family turns to stare at me as I take my plate to the garbage and scrape the cold pasta off, then set the plate in the sink and go to my room.

…(Insert awkward line break here)…

I spend a long time staring out the window at the moon, though nobody comes in to check on me. They probably think I should be left alone.

And they're probably right. I need some time to think.

It must be nearly midnight when I hear a soft knock at my door, which nearly makes my heart jump out of my chest. Steadying myself, I wheel towards the door and open it a crack.

Standing in the hallway, wearing a silver nightgown and holding two steaming mugs, is Bella.

"Can I come in?" She whispers. I nod and completely open my bedroom door. She steps inside, and I close it behind her.

"What do you want?" I murmur as she sets one mug down on my desk, then sits on my bed, sipping the other one.

"I couldn't sleep," She shrugs, "And I figured you were still awake, so I made us some hot chocolate."

I sigh gratefully, "Thanks. You're awesome, Bella."  
My sister smiles, "Anything for my little sis."

It's at times like these that I'm grateful to have Bella around, even though she's colder towards me during the day. We're still sisters, after all. Nothing will change that. Not even an accident, or a crazy mom.

I grab my mug of hot chocolate and take a sip.

"Wow, is this peppermint?" I ask. This stuff is too delicious to be regular chocolate.

"Your favorite," Bella grins, standing up and giving me a little hug. I awkwardly hold my drink away from her so she won't spill it.

"Well," She stretches, heading towards the door, "I'd better get to bed. You should, too, Julia."

She's almost left the room when I call out to her.

"Wait."

She stops in her tracks, standing in the doorway.

"Thanks, Bella."

My sister smiles, "Anytime."

Gently, she closes the door, leaving me with a warm feeling inside that isn't just from the hot chocolate.

…

I heave a huge yawn in Science class. It's a few days after the incident with the McDares, and I haven't gotten a good night's sleep since. The hurricane of thoughts crashing around in my head is too hectic, and I know what dreams will come if I go to sleep.

At this point, though, I wonder if I can take a nap in on my science notebook.

Nothing really interesting has happened in the past few days, though Holly has been strangely nicer to me. If nicer means not being rude, that is. Really, she's been more… detached. I noticed Chloe trying to talk to her yesterday, but Holly walked off in the other direction.

I don't get that girl.

The only other thing that's been pretty odd is the fact that I keep on noticing that blonde haired sixth grader staring at me in the hallways. To be honest, it's getting to a point that's it's just creepy. She seems to have some sort of fixation on me. Maybe it has something to do with those books she's always reading…

I give a jolt of surprise as the bell rings, glancing around to make sure that nobody noticed me daydreaming. But everyone is packing for class and leaving, instantly grouping up and chatting with friends. It's a painful reminder of my own lack of people to hang out with. Chloe's been nice to me, but isn't exactly more than a person I sit next to in science, and Holly's out of the question. Wow, I really miss Katy…

Shaking my head, I gather my materials and head out of class.

As soon as I leave the classroom, I notice the sixth grader staring at me. She is standing next to two other girls and seems to have gotten a new haircut, for her blond locks now hang just below her jaw. Whispering to a freckly girl next to her, she motions towards me. Her friend narrows her eyes.

Trying to ignore them, I make my way down the hallway, narrowly dodging people's backpacks (though one hits me in the arm). It's time for last period, History.

…(Random line break time! :D)…

Dinner is as awkward as it was a few weeks ago, though there are the occasional murmurs of conversation, usually little bits of small talk that die down quickly. Nobody seems to want to talk.

Mom is, unsurprisingly, the one to break the silence.

"So," She begins, setting her spoon down next to her empty bowl of stew, "Guess what we're doing tomorrow?"

"What?" Bella asks, sounding completely uninterested. Next to her, Bobby loudly slurps his soup.

"Well," Mom begins, sounding excited. This can't be good. "Dad and I are going to a movie with Ms. McDare, and we're trusting you kids to hang out at the McDare's house!"

If I had food in my mouth at that point, I would have spit it out.

"What?" I protest, "Holly hates me! And they all probably think I'm crazy after that freak-out I had!"  
"Yeah," Bella adds, "Besides, how do you know that we won't throw a wild teen party while you're gone?"

"Because you do that and I kill you." Mom replies cheerfully, lowering the already tiny amount of belief I had in her sanity.

"Also," Dad speaks up, "Holly is supposed to be really responsible. She'll keep you all in track."  
I snort, "Yeah, right."

"Bobby, what's your opinion?" Dad asks, ignoring my comment.

"Huh?"

"For staying with the McDares."

"Oh. Sounds cool."

"Mom!" Bella whines, "Why are you acting like we're suddenly best friends with that family?"

Mom doesn't seem to be listening to any of us. She's collecting dirty dishes, chin held high. I sigh, slouching down in my wheelchair.

That woman will never change her mind.

**And… there it is! An awkward ending like others you've come to know and love! **

**Well, hope you all enjoyed :)  
**

**Bye! (Do you think I use too many exclamation points? I'm starting to notice that…)**

**-JWFF**


	7. Night at the McDare's

**Hey, guys! I'm back with another update! (Yeah, I know, really soon! I'm almost scared to upload it…)**

**I've been really in 'the zone' lately, which is why this update came so fast. Also, thanks for reassuring me about the exclamation marks! I was almost afraid I was using too many!**

**Thanks for your reviews!**

**I don't own Warriors, Minecraft, or Iron Man.**

The next day, my family's car is puling up on a long driveway surrounded by rosebushes and hedges. The sun is setting in the horizon; Mom and Dad's movie will be starting soon and we're nearly at the McDare's house.

"You know," Bella says sulkily from next to me, "It's kind of insulting that you don't trust us to stay home by ourselves."

Bella has been in a bad mood ever since Mom told us that we were coming here. Strangely enough, I'm actually not annoyed or sulky. Is it wrong that I want to see Jay again…?

"Woah, look at their house!" Bobby exclaims from the very backseat. The whole family follows the direction of where he is pointing and everyone seems to give a gasp of awe.

"I didn't know the McDares were rich." Bella breathes, any trace of annoyance gone. I crane my neck to get a good view of the house over Mom and Dad's heads.

The place is practically a mansion, about three stories tall with elegant balconies and an extended garden. The pale orange color of the sunset in the horizon casts a golden glow on the house's white walls, giving it a nearly unearthly appearance. Yet, as I take in the house, something seems off. It's TOO perfect, lacking in the usual signs of a loving family like old toys scattered across the lawn, or any of the wear and tear that kids give a place. It gives me the nagging suspicion that Jay, Holly, and Leo didn't grow up in this house. It just doesn't seem to have… character.

Then again, maybe all of that is on the inside. After all, don't judge a book by its cover, as they always say. Wait… who's 'they'?

During my thinking, the dirty Speck minivan has come to a stop in front of the house.

"Okay, everybody out! Us adults have a movie to go to!" Mom says, opening her car door and stepping outside. As the rest of the family gets out of the car in a sense of awe, I wait for Mom to unfold the ramp before I roll down.

Then we all go up to the large, fancy-looking front door and Dad rings the bell.

After a few seconds (and some shouting inside), Leo opens the door, wearing jeans, red sneakers, and a red hoodie. He gives a little half grin when he sees us.

"Hey." He says simply, stepping out of the way to let us kids step inside. I eye the fancy living room we're in. Still no drawings, toys, or any signs that a family has lived here. I frown, not sure what to think.

Ms. McDare rushes to the front door and greets my parents, her and Millie instantly engaging in conversation. Typical Grown-ups.

"Well, bye kids!" Dad says to us, then adds with a twinkle in his eye, "Don't throw any wild teen parties!"  
I snort and Bella rolls her eyes.

"We won't." Holly speaks up from behind me and I jolt. _When did she get here?_

"Great, I trust you, Holly," Ms. McDare says confidently. Holly doesn't respond, and her mom's eyes flash with hurt. I imagine Holly scowling.

"Well!" Mom bursts into the moment, "Bye, then!"

"Bye!" We all say.

The adults wave and close the door.

As soon as they leave, I turn around to face Holly. Her green eyes are narrowed and arms are crossed, with Jay standing next to her. As if he senses me looking at him, he gives a little smile.

"Hey."

"Hey." I say back. We lapse back into an awkward silence. (Did I mention that I hate awkward silences? And they seem to be happening a lot lately….)

"Well," Bobby says, crossing his arms and glancing around, "What should we do?"

"Hmm…" Leo furrows his eyebrows and stares at the ground, "We could play a game or something upstairs, like-"  
He breaks off and awkwardly stares at me. I shrug helplessly, knowing we'll never get my wheelchair up a staircase.

"Could we bring one downstairs?" Bella suggests.

"Nah, I didn't feel like playing a game anyway." Leo says. Holly, Jay, and Bobby murmur in agreement.

"I know!" Leo exclaims, " We could-"

He pauses for a moment before saying, "Yeah, I got nothing."

"Video games?" Bobby asks.

Holly shakes her head, "The only multiplayer games we have involve killing zombies, and I'm not playing any of those."

"You don't even have Minecraft?" Bobby gasps. That kid practically worships Minecraft.

"No, only on the computer," Leo murmurs, before sighing, "Any more ideas?"

"We could watch a movie…" Bella trails off, staring at Jay. He sighs, obviously knowing what she was thinking.

"I'd be fine with it," Jay shrugs.

"Well…" Holly says, "What good movies could we watch, anyway?"

"I don't know, but you have a flatscreen, so I don't care!" Bobby is staring at their television. Bella rolls her eyes and huffs.

"Okay, so I'm not sure what we should do." Leo looks helpless, trying to think of some new idea.

"Why don't we grab something to eat?" Jay suggests, "And maybe afterwards somebody will have an idea of what to do."

The group murmurs agreement. Jay nods in satisfaction and I hear Leo give his brother a murmur of thanks as Holly leads the way through a large hallway to the kitchen.

…

Several snacks and about an hour later, the McDares and Specks are sitting around staring intently at the Iron Man movie playing on the McDare's flatscreen. (We finally decided to just watch a movie)

Holly and Bella are sitting on one couch, with Leo and Bobby plopped down on beanbag chairs, with Jay reclined on a sofa next to my wheelchair. We're really chatting more than watching the movie.

"So," I comment as Tony Stark tests out his latest robot suit design, "You have a pretty nice house."

"Yeah," Jay sounds oddly detached, "Au- I mean, Mom, gets a lot of money as a doctor. She wants me to follow in her footsteps."  
I nod, then remember that Jay can't see me.

"Yeah." I reply.

It's strange, how Jay said the word Mom. It seemed forced, like he wasn't used to calling Ms. McDare by that name. Odd…

"Well, uh," I awkwardly try to begin another conversation, "Nice weather… We're… Having?"  
Jay snorts, "Yeah. High of 40 degrees **(A/N: Fahrenheit, not Celsius. In case you were wondering.)**. Real nice."

I crack up a little, even though his snarky comment was directed at me, though it quickly fades into silence.

Holly stands up, and mutters something about having to go to the bathroom, before rushing out of the room. Not thinking much of it, I turn to the movie. (The government is trying to attack the strange robot, not knowing that it's Tony in there)

Lights flash as am epic battle rages onscreen. Everybody seems captivated, though I suspect by Jay's unmoving form that he's fallen asleep. The snoring helps.

About 30 minutes later, I realize Holly still isn't back. Though most of me doesn't care, a little corner of my brain is still concerned.

"Be right back," I whisper to Jay, before wheeling myself out into the hallway. As soon as I get far enough that the sounds of the movie fade into the background, I realize I hear sobbing. This can't be good…

Frowning, I follow the noise, down a few winding hallways, until I come to a little room surrounded by shelves of pictures and knick-knacks, the first real sign that a family has lived here. Many include the smiling faces of a man and a woman that I don't recognize, sometimes including Ms. McDare, and sometimes including Jay and his siblings. In the center of all of it, sitting on a beanbag chair with their back to me, quietly crying onto a huge scrapbook….

Is Holly.

**Dun-Dun-DUNN!**

**I'm gonna end here, so… yeah. First real cliffie! (Sorta…)**

**Thank you SO MUCH for your support, guys, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next one will reveal more about… Stuff. (What? Did you honestly think I would tell you what it was?)**

**Until next time,**

**JWFF :)**


	8. Holly's Scrapbook

**Yep, I did it. I updated twice in one night. Honestly, though, I had nothing else to do.**

**Sorry for the short chapter, but a lot happens at once, so…. Yeah.**

**Also, about that girl being me, that's not REALLY true anymore, though she was modeled after myself at first.**

**Hope you enjoy! Thank you SO MUCH for 39 reviews! :D **

I stare at Holly for a moment as she cries, sad, vulnerable, and lonely. This is a whole new side to her that I've never seen before. She seems so… defeated. Defeated and sad. Something or someone has done this to her. But what could make a 13-year-old girl look so hopeless and hurt?

Her sobs continue, raw pain gushing from her as I helplessly watch, unnoticed.

Holly finally heaves a huge sigh and stands up to leave, tucking the thick scrapbook under the beanbag chair. In a rush I realize she's headed my way and, not wanting to be caught spying, I hurriedly wheel into a random study as fast as my arms can push.

Fortunately, Holly doesn't notice me, lifting her chin high and wiping away tears before heading back to the living room.

As soon as she leaves, I slowly roll out of the shadows, staring at the beanbag chair. Holly looked so sad… I had to find out why.

_Don't do it, Julia._ A little voice peeps in my head.

But, my curiosity gets the better of me and I find myself with Holly's scrapbook in my hands. Taking a deep breath, I open it to a worn out, dog-eared page and take in the first picture.

Considering it's covered in fat teardrops that are barely beginning to dry, this must've been the page that Holly was crying over. The picture that takes up the most of the page is a family portrait- one of those that your mom drags you into, where you're at a studio and they take thousands of pictures. A man and a woman are holding hands and smiling, the same ones as in the pictures surrounding me.

The woman has long, bright red hair, even in such a faded picture. Her eyes are a warm emerald green, inviting and kind and shining with love. The man, whose right hand is protectively around the woman's waist, has short-cut dark brown hair and inviting golden brown eyes. Their love for each other is reflected in every inch of them, from their warm smiles to their joined hands.

And, standing around them, smiling and happy, are younger versions of Jay, Holly, and Leo. They look to be around first-grade age, and Jay is laughing, Leo grinning from ear to ear, and Holly is hugging the red-haired woman's arm. All of them seem so happy, so… complete. One big, happy family.

What happened here?

Frowning, I flip through the pictures of Holly holding certificates, Leo getting a Nerf gun, and Jay hugging a new cat, until something catches my eye.

Chloe and Holly are sitting together at a table, looking to be about 9 years old. Above them is a banner that says "Happy birthday" and they are both laughing, holding blue frosted cupcakes. They're leaning towards each other like best friends. Best friends… What?

Head spinning, and feeling guilty and perplexed, I close the scrapbook and tuck it back under the beanbag, wheeling out of the room and back to the movie, which is almost over.

_What is going on here?_

…

At school a few days later, I'm eating lunch by myself when the sixth grade girl sits down at my table (Sixth and seventh graders, for some odd reason, have lunch together. Beats me why.) Her blue eyes are staring at me intently and I set down my sandwich to give her a curious look. After a moment, she drops her gaze.

"Sorry," She squeaks awkwardly, taking a large bite of a hamburger before saying with a full mouth, "I really need to talk to you."

"What about?" I ask, trying to be friendly even though she's been kind of freaking me out.

"Well…" The girl looks uncomfortable, "You see…"

"She wants to talk to you after school sometime." One of her friends, the short one with freckles, slides onto the bench next to her.

"What about though?" I ask. _Is she asking me out or something? Is that what this is about?_

"It's because she noticed this thing about you and she really wants to talk about it." Her friend says simply.

"Bethany!" The girl protests.

_Yeah, definitely a date._

"Well…" I say, not sure what to do, "Like, where?"

"I don't know, my house?" She says.

Bethany rolls her eyes, "Just tell her why you want to talk or I will!"

"Yeah, go on." I say, not wanting to make her uncomfortable, but also kind of curious, "What's this about?"

The girl sighs, then leans in closer to me, "Have you heard about the Warriors series?"

"You mean that book series you were reading?"

_So this isn't a date…_

"Yeah, that one."  
"What about it?"

The girl shifts awkwardly, "I'm not sure how to put this but… You remind me of this one character…"

"And?" I ask, getting curious.

"Well, her name is Briarlight…."

**Well, sorry for the short chapter, but I just HAD to end it here! It's like, the perfect cliffie! Also, I'm evil. ):-)**

**MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**Well, bye then.**

**Until next time-**

**-JWFF**


	9. Around the Globe

**Woah. So many updates. It's amazing O-o.**

**To be honest, I just CAN'T STOP WRITING! **

**It's like, I've been in… The Zone.**

**So, now I give you Chapter 9, a… different… sort of chapter. **

**Thank you SO MUCH for 44 REVIEWS! :D**

**I do not own Warriors.**

My eyes widen as the girl continues talking.

"Briarlight has brown fur, and I THINK she has amber eyes, though that's just how I imagine her. They might be green. She's cheerful and upbeat, even with a brother, sister, and overprotective mom. Most of all, she's paralyzed like you, so she works in the medicine den, dragging herself-"

She breaks off when she sees the expression in my face. Bewildered, I'm running through the facts. _Brown fur. _I run my hand through my own brunette locks. _Amber or green eyes. _Mine are hazel. _Overprotective mom. Brother and sister. Paralyzed. _Everything matches up. Except…

"You know, I wouldn't consider myself very cheerful or upbeat," I say, eyes narrowed. _Yes. That's it. I'm not her. This isn't real. _

The girl frowns, "I don't know… do you have any other friends that might be like other characters?"

"How could I know?" I protest, "I haven't read the books!"

"Well…" The girl pauses for a moment before grinning, "I've got it! I'll list off some memorable Warriors characters until you recognize one!"

"Make it quick." I sigh, "Lunch is over in ten minutes."

The girl beams, "Got it!"  
Taking a deep breath, she begins, "Firestaristhefirstmaincharacterandhe'sagingertabbywithgreeneyesthenSquirrelflightandLeafpoolarehisdaughtersSquirrelflightlookslikehimbutLeafpoolhaslightbrownhairandambereyes," The sixth grader gasps for air before continuing, "Thenthere'sSandstormwithgoldenfurandgreeneyesandBrambeclawwithbrownfurandambereyesandalsomyfavoritecharacterJayfeatherwho'sablindgreytomwithblueeyesandhissiblings-"  
"Wait," I stop her, "I think I heard something in all of that. What did you just say?"

"AndalsomyfavoritecharacterJayfeathersho'sablindgreytom-"

"Slower."

"Sorry!" The girl squeaks, before saying at an extremely slow pace, "And. Also. My. Favorite. Character. Jayfeather. Who. Is. A. Blind. Grey. Tom. With. Blue. Eyes. You okay, Julia?"

I'm staring at her. _Jay. _

"Umm… That… That sounds like," My mind is trying to process this new information, "That sounds like a kid I know. He's blind and sarcastic, with dull black hair…"

The girl gasps, eyes lighting up, "Jayfeather's REAL?! Ohmygosh!"

I stare at her blankly. The girl clears her throat.

"Um… I mean, this is so weird!" The girl looks awkward, before saying, "So… does he have any-"

She cuts off as the bell rings, signaling the end of lunch.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow!" She calls, before melting into the crowd of sixth and seventh graders streaming out of the lunchroom.

"Wait!" I call, wanting more answers. But she's already gone.

I sort of sit there for a moment, until I realize that everyone else has left and rush out of the cafeteria. In a sort of daze, I wheel myself to my next class, mind buzzing with confusion.

Things just got WEIRD….

…

_A person stands in a dark room, staring menacingly at a glowing screen, lip curled. _

"_So, the girl found out." They hiss, before giving a short bark of laughter, "Then again, this may make things more interesting in the long run."_

_Content, they sit down in their favorite chair and lean back, watching the thousands of glowing monitors around them with amusement in their eyes._

If only the children new what was really going on…

"_There are so many coming together." They murmured._

…

_Thousands of miles from Free City, a man and a woman stand together at a bus stop, the woman clutching her precious son's shoulders with her sharp red manicure._

"_So, you're off to see her again?" The woman sneers, making the man glare at her._

"_I don't want to see either of you again." He hisses, "My place is truly with her."_

"_Good, because I don't want you!" The boy growls, trying to squirm out of his mother's grasp, "Or you either!"  
"Brendan!" The woman protests, hugging her son and rocking back and forth, "Surely you don't mean that!"_

"_That's is!" The man shouts, "I'm leaving here! For good!"_

"_Wait, honey!" The woman rushes forward after him, but he boards the bus and slams the door behind him. She stares forward with hurt green eyes. _He never loved me anyway…

_The son snorts, "Good riddance, DAD."_

_He looks up at his mom to see her crying, shoulders shaking, before clutching her son's hand._

"_That's it, we're boarding the next bus to go after him!"_

"_But-"_

"_And you're coming with me!" She screeches, rushing towards the list of busses, dragging her son along._

…

_The girl sits on the edge of a dock, clutching a picture from a year ago of a grinning ginger-haired boy holding a pair of ice skates. Sighing, she stares out across the crystal-clear lake, fat teardrops rolling down her face._

_Her brother, sitting next to her, wraps his arm around her shoulders._

"_It's okay, Daria." He murmurs softly._

"_But it's not!" Daria wails, "He should be here with us!"_

"_It was an accident, though," He sighs, "The ice was just too thin."_

"_I was an idiot," She sobs, "We never should have gone on the lake."_

"_Everyone makes mistakes."_

"_But how many people make mistakes that cost them their brother's life?"_

_The boy sighs heavily, "I don't know."_

_Closing her eyes, Daria hunches her shoulders._

"_I miss him."_

"_So do I."  
The brother and sister hug, taking comfort in each other in the depths of their grief._

…

_A young girl grunts, carrying a heavy box downstairs to the rest of her family. Her mom looks up and beams, brushing white-blonde hair out of her face._

"_Thanks, honey!"_

_The girl smiles and shrugs, setting down the box with a sigh, "What's in here, anyway?" The girl asks, "A body?"_

"_Grandpa Tony!" Her dad jokes, stepping into the living room with two suitcases._

_The girl shoots a glare at him and he covers his head in mock fear, "Don't kill me!"_

_A second girl walks down the stairs, pale brown hair in two ponytails, and holding a makeup bag. Her sister rolls her eyes and walks towards her._

"_Seriously, sis? That's IT?" She demands. The brunette huffs angrily._

"_But all of those other boxes are so heavy!" She whines, "And I didn't want to break a nail!"_

_Her sister snorts, "Whatever." And begins trudging up the stairs. Stopping after a few steps, she calls to her family, "By the way, where's Fluffy?"_

"_Hiding behind the toilet in the bathroom." Her sister responds matter-of-factly. Annoyed at her sister knowing everything, the girl walks upstairs._

"_By the way," Their Mom speaks up, "I think you're going to like this town we're moving to."_

"_Yeah, what was it called again?" The brunette sister asks._

"_It's a friendly little place called Free City." Her dad replies._

...

_A boy stands in front of a world of stars, eyes widened at the place's beauty. Starry people roamed everywhere, with shimmering clothing and silver hair. It was brilliant. Brilliant and amazing._

_Laughing to himself he ran free, not wanting to be stopped by anyone in the waking world, or the grumpy, elderly woman he knew would be nearby. _If only Julia was here…

Stop it, _He told himself. Julia had been in his thoughts for days, and was even starting to invade his dreams. He wasn't sure what was so special about her, but it filled him with a warm feeling inside that was gentle and pleasant._

_Out of breath, he stopped running, resting against a ghostly tree. If only the waking world was like this, with no family drama, or disabilities, or confusing feelings._

_He inwardly groaned when he started to hear the beeping sound of his alarm clock. He would be waking up soon._

_The beeping grew louder as the starry forest he visited every night started to fade, and his eyes snapped open to darkness._

**There. Um, that chapter was… different. Let's see if you can guess who some of those people were! (Some should be obvious, and one should be impossible.)**

**So, yeah! A lot of stuff is going on! Why are they so similar to Warriors characters? Who are those mysterious people? Why was that last POV so obvious? Will I ever stop asking questions?  
THE WORLD MAY NEVER KNOW.**

**BYE!**

**-JWFF**


	10. Shocking News

**HERE IT IS! CHAPTER TEN!**

**I can't belief it… 55 REVIEWS?!**

**Um… Yeah! Awkward A/N aside, ENJOY!**

As I lie in bed that night, I tremble with tension, head spinning with confusion about what I'd just learned. Jay and I are so similar to those characters… COULD it just be a coincidence? I squeeze my eyes shut, highly doubting it.

At that note, who else could be Warriors characters? Chloe? Bethany? Mrs. Sands?

I snort, inwardly scolding myself for being paranoid.

Thunder rumbles in the sky outside, wind howling through tree branches and rain pounding on the roof. It had started raining on my way home from school, but this has turned into a full-blown storm. Definitely won't help me get to sleep…

My dreams that night are foggy and confusing, full of the screeches of battle and the hisses of cats.

…

_I haven't talked much for the past couple days to anybody. The sixth grader must be sick or something, for I haven't seen her around the school, and when I catch a glimpse of her friend Bethany, the girl isn't by her side. That sucks. I really want to talk to her._

_On a side note, we got a new student, a girl named Isabel whose blonde hair spills down her back in thick curls. She was assigned to sit next to a bubbly brunette named Skylar, who seriously annoys me. Besides that, nothing truly interesting has happened…_

I sigh in boredom, flipping through a book at the McDare's dining room table. Jay is slouched back in his seat, Leo is flipping through a sports magazine, and Holly is the only one doing her homework. I've been hanging out at their house after school for the past few days, which Mom is okay with. In fact, she's thrilled I have friends.

Ms. McDare steps into the dining room, holding a cell phone in one hand and a plate of cookies and cup of tea in the other. She sets down the plate on the table, and then sits down in a chair, listening to someone on her phone. I notice a flash of anxiety in her eyes and wonder what is happening on the other end.

Leo reaches for a cookie and Ms. McDare takes a sip of her tea.

"Mmhmm." She murmurs to whoever she's having a conversation with, "Yes, I know, I-"

There is a sudden crashing sound of shattering china. Everyone looks around to find the source of the noise and I realize that Ms. McDare has dropped her teacup, golden-brown eyes wide. She sets down a trembling hand, visibly shaking.

Jay is the first to speak up, "Are you okay?"

Even Holly is staring at her mother in concern, as Ms. McDare closes her eyes and sighs.

"Oh. I see. My condolences for your loss, Thalia. How are your kids managing?" Ms. McDare's murmurs form a knot of dread in my stomach, "Silena and Brent already know?" Another pause. "Yes, I'll tell the kids. Um… again, I'm sorry… Bye, then."

It seems to take her extreme effort to end the call, and set her phone on the table. In the dead silence that follows, Ms. McDare takes a deep breath and stares at her kids with a grave look in her eyes. I awkwardly wonder if I should be part of this conversation.

"Finn died." Ms. McDare bursts out, her words slicing like a knife through the silence, shattering it to pieces. Holly gives a sharp intake of breath.

Leo stares at her in disbelief, "How?"

Ms. McDare cringes, "Apparently there was an early autumn snow in Roaring Falls and the lake where they live was frozen over. Daria thought it was a good idea to ice skate without permission, but the ice cracked beneath him and-"

She breaks off and buries her face in her hands. Jay stares at the ground with shock and disbelief clouding his gaze more than blindness, while Leo and Holly slouch over in sadness. Though I don't know who Finn is, this moment feels so sad, so raw, so genuine, that I feel like an outsider watching through a window. After a moment of respectful silence, I quietly clear my throat. Ms. McDare looks up with teary eyes.

"Should I… Call my mom to pick me up?" I ask softly. Ms. McDare gives a little nod. I smile weakly, before grabbing my own cell phone out of my backpack and dialing my mom's number.

After a few rings, she picks up.

"Hello?" Her voice asks. She sounds tired.

"Um, hey Mom." I say weakly.

"What is it, honey?"

"Could you come and pick me up? The McDares just got some pretty sad news and I want to give them time to grieve…"

…

That night, I'm doing my math homework at my desk when my phone buzzes. Frowning, I check to see who it is. _Unknown number…_

I flip it open and answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey." A meek voice sounds from the other end, instantly recognizable. _The sixth grader._

"Um… hey! What do you want? And how did you get my number?" I ask.

"Long story." She responds, "Just, look… I need to talk to you again soon… Meet me after school tomorrow at the flagpole. I found something I think you should see…"

"Um, Okay then. Is that it?"

"Yeah…" She responds quietly, nearly whispering. Talking on phones is obviously not one of her strengths.

"Well, then, bye!"

"Bye…" She murmurs, and then I realize something.

"Wait!" I call into the phone, "Don't hang up yet!"

"What is it?" She asks.

"What's your name?"

"Oh… It's… Alexis."

"Okay, thanks." I respond, "Bye, Alexis!"

"Bye…"

After a moment of silence, I figure she's hung up.

Setting my phone down, I hover my pencil over a particularly difficult math problem. _Find the meaning of X if X= -7y and Y equals 5._

Smiling to myself, I write down the answer: _-35._

My phone is buzzing again.

_Who could it be this time? Is Alexis calling me back?_

To my surprise, it's Holly, who sounds out of breath and agitated as I answer her call.

"What is it?" I ask, setting down my pencil again.

"Look, Julia," Holly responds, her voice tense, "Something just happened and I didn't know who to call."

"So you chose me."

"As a last resort."

"I'm gonna choose not to take offense in that."

"So, look… Umm…" Holly ignores my comment, "This guy just arrived at our door and he's not really someone I want to see, especially not after my cousin just died."

"Who is he?" I ask, completely confused. Holly doesn't answer. _Why doesn't anyone give a CLEAR answer through phone calls? It's not exactly hard!_

"Well, let's just say this," Holly says, "I'm not really sure what to do right now, so I need your advice. Nobody in this family is thinking straight right now, especially Mom…"

"Holly, WHO IS THE GUY WHO SHOWED UP?" I'm getting a straight answer out of her this time, though I feel kind of bad for shouting at her while she's grieving.

"Oh, yeah." Holly sounds awkward, "This guy… He's my dad."

**Yay! Awkward cliffie! What did you think of this chapter? Did you like it? Did you hate it? Are you intrigued…? **

**Gosh, sorry, I'm hyper on sugar right now! I just ate a full box of rainbow nerds and my hands are all shaky!**

**Well, bye! I'll try to update soon… I have a LOT of ideas!**

**BYE!**

**-JWFF!**


	11. The Sort Of Truth

**I just realized that I haven't given Jay that much character yet… Oops. I've tried to develop Holly, Julia, and Bella a lot, and at least everyone else has personality… I need to fix that. I need a genuine Jay and Julia moment. Maybe one that will give him more development.**

**THAT IS MY MISSION!**

**Um… *ahem*… Here's the next chapter!**

"Your what?!" I exclaim, realizing that I never have met Holly's father, or heard about him while talking to any of the McDare triplets, "Wait… your parents are divorced, right?"

"No, not really…" Holly sounds uncomfortable, "They were never really married, and he had another family, with a wife and son. Look, I can't really explain right now, but, he's sort of come crawling back to us, and… What should I do?"

"How should I know?" I protest. _Why does Holly expect me to have any advice?_

"I don't know…" For once, Holly doesn't retort back at me, a behavior I've come to expect from her. (And, let's face it, Jay too.) In fact, her voice is quivering, as if she is about to burst into tears.

I instantly soften my voice, "Look, I promise I'll talk to you about it tomorrow, okay?"

"I'm not sure if it can wait until tomorrow!" Holly's voice has reached a desperate pitch, "Mom's letting him stay in the house!"

"Hmm… I honestly don't know what to say," I answer truthfully, "But… it's late. Try to, uh, get a good night's sleep. Maybe he'll leave in the morning. Either way, you will get away from him at school tomorrow and we'll be able to talk more there."

I hear Holly give a deep sigh, "I guess so. Life is so complicated…"

"I know," I answer sympathetically. All hatred between us has vanished as we share a moment of silence. _I understand more than you could imagine, Holly._

"Holly…" I murmur.

"What?"

"I'm sorry about your cousin."

"Yeah… I'm sorry I was a jerk to you."

"Yeah."

Another moment of silence.

"Goodnight, Julia." Holly murmurs.

"Goodnight, Holly." I respond. In a click, Holly ends the conversation, leaving me sitting in my room, staring into space for a long time.

…

The next day, an exceptionally gloomy Friday, drags on for what seems like months. First period with Mrs. Sands is pure torture, though she seems a little gentler towards Holly. Maybe she knows about Finn, or maybe she noticed the shattered look in Holly's eyes. Either way, it's touching to see.

Meanwhile, I sit through all of my classes in an agitated and distracted state, and nearly turn in my math homework in to my social studies teacher. After school I'll talk to Alexis about her whole Human-Warrior-Cat thing. (Yes, that's what I have named it.) The suspense is overwhelming.

It worsens in sixth period, where my science teacher, Mr. Ross, tries to explain energy transfers to a snoozing seventh grade class. I feel like I'm the only one awake, fiddling my fingers and staring at the clock. It's hands seem to be stuck in molasses, and each minute ticks by after what feels like an hour.

This unbearable torture goes on for quite a while, until the loud bell wakes up the entire class, who are suddenly full of energy at the prospect of the weekend. Even Mr. Ross seems to snap awake, jolting a little before calling out to his students to do their homework.

Kids flood out into the hallways, and I'm in the center of the crowd, desperate to get to the flagpole. _I need to know more… _

I'm so distracted that I don't really watch where I'm going, and my wheelchair suddenly hits a bump. I hear a screech of pain and look down to see that I've run over someone's foot.

"Sorry!" I squeak, looking up to see Chloe gritting her teeth. Hurriedly, I wheel back, cringing at every bump, "Sorry!"

Chloe winces, then manages a half smile, "It's okay. Where are you going in such a hurry?"

Chloe seems genuinely curious, not making smalltalk at all, so I answer honestly, "Just meeting a friend."

Well, kind of honestly. I leave out the whole Human-Warriors-Cats thing.

"Who?" Chloe inquires, eyebrows raised.

"Just a kid. A sixth grader." As a side note, I add, "Named Alexis."

"Oh, yeah. Her." I may be imagining it, but Chloe's eyes seem to darken for a moment before she beams again, "Can I come along?"  
"Uhhh…" I don't really want her to be part of this conversation, but her eyes are so warm, and voice is inviting, and she seems to genuinely nice, that I find myself nodding, "Sure."

"Great!" Chloe giggles, "Come on!"

She skips along with me wheeling behind her, occasionally pausing so I can catch up. Before long, we've left the building, crossed the courtyard, and reached the flagpole. Alexis is leaning against it, reading a book that I guess is probably Warriors. She looks up from her book as I approach.

"Hey," I greet her, then notice her glancing at Chloe with shock in her eyes, "Look, I know what you're thinking, but she asked to tag along, and…"

"No." Alexis sets her book down and stares at Chloe with an odd intensity in her blue eyes. I notice Chloe looking uncomfortable.

Suddenly, Alexis gasps, "You're Cinderheart!"

"Huh?" Chloe and I ask in unison.

"From Warriors!" Alexis grins widely and nods rapidly.

"What?" The silvery haired preteen asks.

"You… What… But…" I try, but fail to form a complete sentence, "How… Alexis… Who's…"

"JULIA!" Someone calls. I turn my wheelchair as fast as I can in surprise, as Holly races down the courtyard, cutting across the neat green lawn. She stops, panting, as she reaches us.

"Holly?" I ask. Apparently, now I don't know people's names. Finding out another classmate is a Warriors character really does that to you.

"Julia…" Holly pants, out of breath, "You said… We'd talk… I'll explain… everything…"

As she glances up, she seems to notice Chloe and Alexis.

"Chloe?!" She exclaims, eyes narrowing, then glances at Alexis, "And who's she?"

Alexis' eyes are wide again, this time in both curiosity and excitement. I wonder what revelation she'll exclaim this time, but she surprises me by facing me with a sort of serious expression on her face.

"Julia." She asks, clearly trying to contain her excitement "Is this Jay's sister?"

"How did you know?" I ask, glad I can talk again, though my head is spinning. Then I realize where Alexis must be going. _Uh, oh… _

Alexis squeals, "I knew it! She's Hollyleaf!"

Holly frowns, "What in the world is she talking about?"

"The Warriors series." Alexis answers matter-of-factly, as if being a cat from a book is normal.

"What is this kid talking about?" Holly inquires. Cindy shrugs. Meanwhile, Alexis is jumping up and down, exclaiming about how awesome this is. I furrow my brow in frustration. _Gosh, this is weird._

"I don't know, deserter." Chloe responds to her friend.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Holly protests.

"Everything." Chloe mutters cryptically.

"That's pretty vague…"

"What, so your organized brain can't handle anything that isn't set in stone?" Chloe sneers.

"At least I'm smart enough to know HOW to organize!" Holly hotly protests.

"This is awesome!" Alexis cheers, oblivious to the fight.

"Oh, Holly, that's the worst comeback EVER!"

"Hey, girl, I-"

"I WHAT? I'm an idiot? Because you are. An idiot who abandoned her friend!"

"Hey, are you still angry at me for-"

"GUYS!" I scream, silencing them all. They turn to stare at me as I take a deep breath.

"Could somebody tell me what's going on?" I ask weakly, "That's all I want to know. WHY are we so much like Warriors characters? Holly, what is going on with your past?! JUST TELL ME SOME STRAIGHT ANSWERS FOR ONCE!"

Everyone is shocked at my outburst, even myself. Desperately, I stare at Alexis.

"Please."

"Umm…" Alexis steps forward, "Besides the fact that you look and act like those characters, I honestly don't know what's going on."

_That makes sense, I guess…_

"What did you want to talk to me about?" I ask Alexis, but she's checking a hot pink watch on her wrist, eyes widening in panic.

"I need to go home!" She exclaims, picking up her silvery backpack and racing down the sidewalk, calling a goodbye over her shoulder.

"You know," Chloe says, "I think I should go, too." Yawning, she also walks away. Holly and I are left alone at the flagpole.

"Don't you have to leave, too?" I ask her, but she shakes her head, shoulders hunched.

"I don't really want to go back home." She admits, "Besides… I have a lot of explaining to do…"

I smile a little, "You don't have to tell me more than you want to."

"No." Holly responds firmly, "I've been holding this in for a while now. I have to tell you… everything."

"Okay, then…" I respond. Holly takes a deep breath and begins her story…

"_Growing up, I lived with Jay and Leo, and our two parents, Silena and Brent. We were happy and complete, and a loving family. Oh, and I was best friends with Chloe, too. We'd met in kindergarten and always hung out together. _

_The five of us were a happy, loving family living in a cozy house. Naturally, we couldn't be happier._

_And then, one weekend less than a year ago everything seemed to fall apart._

_I was going through some old stuff in our attic when I found some pieces of paper wedged in the back of a really dusty shoebox. Scanning the pages, I saw they were, surprisingly, our birth certificates. Curious, I began to read them when Silena, who'd been helping me clean, snatched them away from me. I turned around sheepishly to face her anger, but she was hugging the papers protectively, like her life depended on it. When I tried to ask her what was wrong, she turned and walked away._

_Of course, I got curious, so I started asking Mom and Dad questions about our birth. Well, not details. That would be gross. But just the time around it. Come to think about it, I'd never really seen any early baby pictures of us, or Mom when she was expecting. However, I did learn that she was actually alone for most of that time, because Dad was on a business trip. A LONG one. Seriously, what kind of business trip nearly takes a full year? And when you're wife's expecting, too!_

_Anyway, I shared my thoughts with my brothers, who dismissed it as me being paranoid. I was almost convinced that I was just over thinking things, too, until the second sign came._

_One night, our aunt came over, Aunt Leanne, who was Mom's sister. She's brought a casserole and we enjoyed a nice, pleasant meal with her. But, after dinner, I was walking to the bathroom when I heard Mom and Aunt Leanne talking. I thought I heard one of them mention my name…_

Holly breaks off from her storytelling and checks the sky, "The sun's setting. I need to finish this quickly so I can make it home before dark."

I nod, "Okay."

"_So, anyway, those two were talking in Mom's bedroom about how I'd been poking around about my birth. I heard Leanne mention something about "How I shouldn't know" and "Keeping the secret". As they came by, I hid from them and snuck into Mom's bedroom, determined to find some answers. To my delight, Mom had slipped our birth certificates in the drawer in her bedside table._

I snort. "Real sneaky."

Holly glares at me.

"_Julia, shut up. So, I read the full thing, and something didn't match up. Reading the slots on mine for "Mother" and "Father", it didn't say Silena and Brent Millers. Instead, the "Mother" slot read Leanne McDare and the father slot read Carter Johnson. _

_Of course, I was shocked. Really shocked. And pretty angry, too. Who was Carter? And why was he my father? Actually, why were both of them my parents?_

_I probably should have confronted Mom then, but I was angry and wasn't really thinking straight. Instead, I planned to reveal everything at the family reunion that was coming up, where the Millers and the McDares meet together for… wait, why am I describing a family reunion?  
So, yeah, here's the gist of what happened: I discovered that Silena was trying to cover for her sister having a kid with a guy she'd barely met, there was an uproar, Dad- no, UNCLE Brent and Silena divorced, and Jay, Leo, and I ended up moving in with our new mom. _

_I was so angry that I might have said a few things to people that I wouldn't actually say, especially to Chloe… We had a pretty big fight. And I've been sort of out of it ever since... Yeah, you could probably tell… _

_But, mainly, I just want my family back and for things to be back to normal and-"_

Holly stops talking hunching her shoulders and scrunching her face up, in a sort of attempt to keep from crying. In a shaky voice, she murmurs, "Now you know."

"Holly…" I begin, not sure how to take the story. It makes me see her in a whole new light; A girl who's been bent and broken by the world, a sad kid who just wants things to be right again.

_She's been through so much…_

"I've gotta go!" Holly bursts out, turning and running off, probably to go home. I stare blankly where she has vanished. Multiple questions of mine were just answered, but why do I feel even more confused?

_No, I mainly feel bad for Holly. Things aren't exactly easy for her. Or her brothers either. Gosh, this is so much to take in at once…_

I snort, "Oh, Julia. That's been happening a lot recently."

Grabbing my phone from my backpack, I dial my mom's number to ask her to pick me up, realizing in the back of my brain that I was just talking to myself.

**So… Yup! Terrible, awkward ending! To be honest, I wasn't sure how to end this already extremely long chapter…**

**Ugh, these last two chapters just seem clumsily written. I think it's just me, though. I hope so…**

**So, now you know Holly's back-story! Well, I hope you already did, but know you know this twist on it!**

**AND… Chloe is Cinderheart. Oh, come on, you all saw that coming. But, wait….! I don't believe it! Holly is… HOLLYLEAF?! No way!**

**Sorry, I think I need to sleep. Uh, hope you liked this chapter… and… stuff…**

**Sleepy…. Keyboard looks like a nice pillow….**

**Gvgbccxbhskdvfdhkx**


	12. Jay

**Hey guys, so, I made my decision and rewrote the chapters… here's the new chapter 12! And, if you are someone who read the original chapters 12 and 13, you may want to go back and reread chapter 11. I made some changes, but they're not HUGE, so you don't have to. Also, if you posted a review for the old chapters and want to review the new one, just PM me. I think that's how it works, right?**

**Now, before we get started, I want to thank Silver Stone Ruby for making a wonderful piece of fanart for Briars! Seriously, I'm honored! It's currently the story's cover image. :) If anyone wanted to check her out on deviantart, her account in AnnieKittyGirl.**

**Anyway…**

**ON WITH THE FANFIC!**

A breeze rustles my ponytail as I wait at the curb of the school's sidewalk for Mom, eyes scanning the horizon for a hint of our rusty minivan. The sky is darkening, pale gold streaks spreading through the clouds in a dying sunset. I feel almost at peace, after such a strange day.

Almost.

I blink happily as a familiar red vehicle pulls up on the sidewalk next to me. Mom steps out and unfolds the ramp.

"Thanks for picking me up." I say gratefully, as I'm in the car and we've started driving towards home. Mom turns down her country music to respond.

"Of course, honey. Wouldn't want you to be out after dark!"

Usually I'd get irritated and think she was babying me, but I'm pretty sure that most parents don't want their kids out after dark. She had that rule even before my accident, anyway.

Whatever. It doesn't matter.

Mom and I bounce up and down on a bumpy road, with country music pounding in our eardrums. I'd never had a road trip so peaceful.

…

The next morning, Holly, Bella, Jay, and I are lounging in my living room chatting. The two had wanted to get away from their house for a while, and my mom was more than accommodating. In fact, I'm pretty sure she's making cookies in the kitchen…

Anyway, Bella is discussing some nerdy T.V show or something with Holly and Jay and I are discussing Leo. Don't ask me why. Conversations are just weird like that.

"So," I glance at Jay, who's sitting on our overstuffed couch and staring at me with an intense blue gaze, "Why ISN'T your brother here?"

Jay shrugs, "Minecraft. Leo's trapped himself in his room playing that game. I swear, soon we'll have to slip his food under the door or something."

I laugh, "He should really hang out with Bobby sometime. He's also a big video game geek."

Jay grins, "Probably. Though Leo considers himself 'cool' because he plays sports."

"Hmm." I murmur, "What do you think about sports?"

Jay snorts, "They're overrated. And I'm not the least bit athletic." Turning his gaze to meet mine, he adds, "Did you ever play any sports?"

"Well, I used to be on my old school's cross country team, but…" I break off and shrug, being careful to hide my true emotions and not sound bitter. Ironically, Jay sees through my disguise.

"You miss running, don't you?" His voice is gentle and understanding, with genuine care in his eyes. It gives me the feeling that he can truly relate, and isn't some adult pretending to understand. Then again… can he?

"As much as Holly would miss Doctor Who if the show stopped airing." I attempt a joke. Jay shrugs, and I'm grateful when he changes the subject.

"So… Um…" Jay shifts uncomfortably on the couch, hunching his shoulders. My eyes widen. What could get HIM awkward? "There's a new movie in the theaters, and…"

"Cookies!" Mom sings as she walks into the room with a tray of warm chocolate chip cookies. Setting the plate down on a rickety little side table, she grins at us kids, "Enjoy!"

She leaves as quickly as she entered. I reach over to grab a cookie as Jay fiddles with his jacket sleeve, as if uncertain what to say.

"What is it?" I ask, mouth full of cookie after I take a huge bite. Crumbs scatter on the ground, but Jay doesn't notice. Obviously.

"That new adventure movie that's playing in the theater… do you want to go see it together?" Jay bursts out. I swallow a huge bite of my cookie before replying.

"Wait, just us?"

"Well, that's what I said, right?"

"Like a date?"

"If you want to call it that, I guess…"

_This is so sudden, but… _I stare at Jay as he glances hopefully at me, the morning light filtering through the curtains turning his dull hair silver and making his blue eyes sparkle like sapphires. _Part of me wants to go… _

My heart leaps in my chest as I respond, "Sure… Yeah, I'd like that."  
Jay smirks, "Great."

**Umm, yeah! Again, I master the art of an awkward ending… but, that aside, what did you think? Was that too sudden? Or did I develop their relationship enough for it to work? Sorry if this chapter was super super short, but I honestly didn't know what else to add… The next chapter shall be longer. With much more fluff! :3**

**Tell me what you think in the reviews. Or through a PM. Or telekinesis. Whatever you prefer.**

**Also, I forgot to say it at the beginning, but I don't own Warriors, Minecraft, or Doctor Who.**

**Bye!**

**-JWFF**


	13. At the Movies

**Hey guys! Sorry for the late update, but school and writer's block do NOT make a good mix. Here's chapter 13 anyway!**

**Note that I won't turn this story into a cheesy romance drama that'll revolve entirely around relationships and stuff. Then again, you probably weren't thinking that, but… just remember that JayxBriar would have happened no matter what the ending. They're my OTP! And this ending will still include the Warriors as humans plot… obviously. Just…. I'm not dropping any old ideas, and I want to keep the flow as smooth as possible.**

**Okay, sorry, I'll stop rambling. I'm probably confusing newer readers XD**

**And old ones…**

The sun is sinking in the sky as I force a comb through my messy hair. Jay, Bella, Holly, and I are going to see Mockingjay, and I want to look semi-decent. Even though I know Jay can't see me, I feel like going with tangled hair and old clothes would be cheating or something. Besides, I'm going to be out in public. May as well be presentable.

Mom had let us go to the movie as long as it ended before 9, and Bella came with us. Bella eagerly agreed to come, quickly inviting Holly. Those two really hit it off. Besides, Holly probably needs to get her mind off of Finn and her dad.

I braid my hair, tying it with a gold hair tie at the end, and roll out of my bedroom and into the white tile bathroom. In the mirror, my reflection stares at me, hazel eyes wide. My braid is a little messy, but I don't mind. I never said that I had to look perfect. Satisfied, I smooth out my long black skirt and adjust my happy necklace before going into the living room.

On a side note, Alexis texted me (apparently Bella gave her my number. I decided not to question it). She had forgotten to tell me what she'd found during our encounter yesterday. Apparently she'd met some other people that she thought were warriors, and had come up with the brilliant idea of confronting Erin Hunter about it.

Honestly, right now I just want to forget about the whole Human-Warrior-Cat thing. Life is confusing even without that.

Bella is lounging on the living room sofa, playing a game on her phone. Her auburn hair, which is neatly curled, delicately rests on her shoulders. She's wearing a white silk blouse, pale blue skinny jeans, combat boots, and a faceful of makeup. Typical Bella.

"Hey sis." She slips her phone in her back pocket, standing up and stretching.

"Ready to go?" I ask.

She nods, "You?"

"Yup." I reply.

"Good." Bella sticks her head through the doorway into the kitchen, "Mom! We're ready!"

Mom races out of the kitchen, nearly shoving Bella out of the way, "Great!"

Bella rolls her eyes, and starts walking to the front door, "Come on, then!"

The three of us get in the car. The drive to the theater is dead silent, the air crackling with Bella's anger. Mom is as oblivious towards it as usual.

…

The movie theater lobby is bright and loud, busy with loads of people who probably want to see the movie. The smell of popcorn is heavy in the air, and it's making my mouth water. Impatiently, I wait for Holly and Jay, by the drinking fountain where we'd agreed to meet. Bella is standing next to me, attacking someone's camp on Clash of Clans.

I feel a wave of relief as Jay and Holly emerge from the crowd. Holly catches sight of us and grabs Jay's arm, dragging him behind her as she runs up to Bella.

"Hey!" She beams. I'm surprised at the genuine happiness in the girl's eyes. Maybe she just needed a new friend, or maybe she's just relieved to get out of her home.

"Hey." Bella replies, then shouts, "Curse you, archer tower!" Angrily, my sister puts away her phone.

Jay rubs his arm, a look of annoyance on his face, "Hey Julia."

"Hey." I reply. The four of us share a moment of awkward silence. Apparently nobody knows any other word besides 'hey'.

"Should we get popcorn?" I ask. Holly's growling stomach answers the question, and we all laugh.

"Taking that as a yes." Amusement is shining in Jay's blue eyes.

As a group, we all go up to the nightmarishly long line for buttery, salty, goodness.

…

Wow, Mockingjay was awesome. Though we got there late, Jay and I snagged a seat near the front, where there was a spot for a wheelchair that was next to an empty chair. Bella and Holly chose somewhere near the back, where they would be free to complain about siblings without us hearing. Jay didn't actually seem to be bored- he was wearing a headset that apparently told him what was going on in the movie, and made a bit of conversation with me. That was kept to a minimum, though, because the lady behind us kept on hissing at us to shut up.

I ponder this happily as we exit the theater, Jay slipping off his headphones and rubbing his temples.

"Why is it," He complains, "That I always forget how loud the movies are?"

I shrug, "The same way that I always forget how long the commercials are."

Jay gives a short grunt of laughter, before turning to stare at me, "What time is it?"

"I don't know. I'll ask Bella to check her phone, though it's probably not 9 yet."

"Okay," He replies, "Should we wait for them?"

"Sure."

We stop and Jay leans against the wall, letting the headset dangle limply from one of his hands. For a few seconds we're quiet, then I speak up.

"Thanks for asking me to come."

He gives a little half-smile, the widest smile I've seen from him, "No problem."

We happily lapse back into silence, waiting for our sisters.

…

Later that night, I check my phone before going to bed and see another text from Alexis. Slightly annoyed, but still curious, I tiredly read it:

_Think I could meet ur siblings? And Holly's? Maybe tell them about Warriors? I wanna find out how many Warriors r in town. Maybe they know some._

I have to hand it to her, the girl has an idea. Before going to sleep, I respond:

_Sure. Talk about it more tomorrow. _

**Okay, so… this wasn't my best chapter… but it'll get better! **

**Um… I forgot to say this, but I don't own Warriors, Mockingjay, or Clash of Clans.**

**So, here are two more things:**

**Thank you SO MUCH for… woah, 94 reviews? I… I'm speechless, honestly. I haven't even reached 20 chapters! Though this may be because of the whole deleted chapters thing… it's still really nice. So thanks.**

**Though this may not mean much now, Briars isn't going to be a stand-alone story. Even though I'm not sure just how many chapters Briars is going to be, I know how I want it to end… and how I want the sequel to go! That's right, Briars will have a sequel, called Cinders! This'll probably mean more after the story is done, so that's all I'm saying for now. But I will mention that it'll be in Chloe's POV… obviously, as you could tell from the title.**

**So, that's it for now! Bye!**

**-JWFF**


	14. I FINALLY UPDATED

**Wait… What is this?**

**Is this what I think it is…?**

**Did FallingFeatherGirl actually update Briars?**

**What kind of alternate dimension have we traveled to?!**

**Seriously, though, thank you guys SO MUCH for 100 reviews… You all are awesome!**

**I also don't expect anyone to be able to review this chapter, considering this is like the third chapter 14 I've posted XD.**

**So, If you really have something you want to stay, just PM me.**

**I do not own Warriors.**

Sunday morning comes after what feels like only a few seconds of sleep; I open my eyes to gentle morning light flooding my bedroom. I blink sleepily for a few moments, recalling the memories of last night. We went to the movies… Had a great time… Oh, and Alexis wants to talk.

I yawn heavily, getting out of bed and dressed as usual. However, feeling cheerier than usual, I go with a fuzzy pink sweater and jeans. I only wear pink when I'm really happy, something which hasn't happened in a while. Either way, it's a nice change from my usual dull colors.

I wheel out into the hallway, where the mouth-watering aroma of bacon is filling the air. Dad always uses his day off to cook the family breakfast, though Mom always insists on helping. I also hear Bobby and Bella chatting, so I figure that I'm the last one awake.

"No, you don't get it! Mockingjay wasn't just about-" Bella breaks off as I enter the kitchen, "Hey, sis."

"Hi." I reply, glancing into the kitchen. Dad is calmly flipping pancakes, while Mom is scurrying around frantically.

"Mockingjay was great, wasn't it?" Bella continues.

"It was good." I shrug.

"See, Bella? Good, but not great!" Bobby gives his sister a triumphant look, to which she rolls her eyes.

"I'm not even going to ask." I mutter, rolling over to the kitchen, where I call inside, "Need any help setting the table?"

Mom shakes her head quickly while Dad shrugs.

"Stay put, honey." Mom protests.

"Whatever you want. We could probably use help." Dad says, not looking up from his pancakes.

Mom shoots him an icy glare, stopping her frantic cooking for a moment to lean against the counter, panting, "She shouldn't… over exert… herself."

"Mom-" I begin, but it's Bella who replies.

"If there's anyone who should worry about overexerting themselves, it's you." She points out from my side. Her voice is cold and flat, eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, whatever." Mom replies, "Julia, honey, hang out in the dining room and read." She rushes over to flip the bacon, and shovel the pancakes onto a tray.

I glance up at Bella. She looks more angry than hurt, muttering something under her breath before leaving the kitchen doorway. Obviously the good mood from yesterday didn't rub off on her.

I hesitate for a moment, unsure what to do about the situation, but end up silently leaving the kitchen, and pulling out a book like Mom said.

At least we'll be away from her for most of the day…

…

"Holly?" I'm in the living room on my cell phone. Better ask Holly if her and her brothers can make it to talk to Alexis. Jeez, all I seem to do nowadays is call people, plan, and run around places meeting up with people and wondering why-

"Julia?" Holly finally picks up, though her voice sounds strained. I try not to worry. A lot has been happening to her recently.

"Hey, uh, Holly," I glance at the clock, "You busy today?"

"Oh, yeah, I actually, AM," Holly responds. I can't read what emotion is filling her voice- Anger? Sadness? "My cousin Finn's funeral is tomorrow and my family has to drive to Roaring Falls, where his family lives."

"Oh." I respond awkwardly, not sure what to say, "Um… Good luck? Just… gah. Be strong, Holly. I'm sorry that this happened to him."

I imagine her smiling, "Thanks. My family'll be back on Tuesday."

In a click, she hangs up, and I set my phone down. _What do I do now? Alexis wanted to meet ALL of us, so I guess I'll wait until the McDares get back from Finn's funeral..._

I brush my hair out of my face. _Since there won't be anything to do today, I may as well get my homework done._

I roll into the kitchen in silence, surprised to see Bella slumped at her seat, the room otherwise empty. She looks up when I approach.

"Hey, sis."

"Hi." I respond, grabbing my backpack from its hanger and plopping it down on the kitchen table, unzipping it. Bella watches with a bored expression on her face.

"Look," I begin, "I saw how Mom treated you back there, and-"

"It's fine." She cuts in, though her voice is flat, "It's not like she'll ever care about me, anyway. I'm being selfish to wish for that."

"I-"

Before I can object, she leaves the room in stony silence. The words I was going to say are at the tip of my tounge.

_I care about you, Bella. And maybe I don't want all of that attention from Mom._

…

I sit in my usual spot in class that Monday- next to a wide classroom window, tucked away in the corner. I lean back in my chair, so my blonde hair falls in my face, covering my eyes. I fidget. Toss my pencil back and forth. Doodle on my hand with pen.

I'm bored out of my mind.

The teacher is explaining how to use metaphors- as if I haven't learned THAT in every class ever. I really hate English- it's basically relearning the same thing year after year.

Pulling out my Warriors book, I flip to my favorite part, mind immediately drifting to the character's real life counterparts.

_Hmm. I wonder what Briarlight- I mean, Julia, and her friends are doing. This whole human warriors thing is so weird… awesome, but weird._

"Alexis!" My teacher snaps, and I drop my book. It lands on my feet with a dull thud. I look up and meet her narrowed eyes with a guilty smile. She does not look amused.

"This is the fifth time I've caught you reading in class- I'll see you in detention, young lady."  
My heart sinks. _I hate getting in trouble for reading- in English class, especially! Doesn't she want to ENCOURAGE reading?_

"Yes, Miss." I murmur softly. She turns away and continues to explain figurative language, while the class murmurs in amusement at my misery.

Yes, I'm that much of an outcast at school- my only friends are Bethany and Lizzie, though I don't have any classes with them. Instead I rely on my Warriors books to keep me company, which is why I get especially miserable when a teacher takes that away, too. Books are my shields, protecting me from the outside world.

But, then again, there's also Julia.

Whenever I see someone I immediately associate them with a certain Warriors character, though they usually only have a few similarities. Julia, however, has so many similarities with Briarlight that it's almost eerie. Then there's Holly, who is the perfect human counterpart of my second favorite character, Hollyleaf. And apparently she has two brothers, one of which is like my all-time favorite character, Jayfeather. Jayfeather is a human. How good can it get?

The classroom door opens, and a young-looking girl steps in, dusty-colored hair pulled in two pigtails and green eyes wide with curiosity. Immediately, I start running Warriors characters through my mind that remind me of the girl.

_Icecloud… No, definitely not._

She smiles at our teacher, "Hey, I'm new here…"

_Hazeltail… What's her eye color again?_

Our teacher nods, "Of course. You're Donnie Eagle, right?"

_Donnie… Maybe Dawnpelt?_

Donnie smiles, "That's me. My sister, Evelyn, and I just moved here. This is my first period class, apparently."

_Sister… Evelyn… Ivy… Ivypool. That makes her…_

"Dovewing!" I gasp out loud. The class turns to stare at me in silence. Meekly, I shrink back.

"Ignore her, she's a book weirdo." Pat, an idiot who sits two desks in front of me, blurts out. The class cracks up, and I notice Donnie trying hard not to giggle.

"It isn't even that funny…" I mutter, ears burning. I slide back in my chair, wishing I could shrink away and disappear. I hate moments like these, though they happen more than I like.

"Patrick!" The teacher warns, but her comment does nothing. It's too late to stop the humiliation.

In short, this is just another day at school.

…

**Eek! Sorry that this chapter is so short! And sorry if it's choppy at parts… a lot of this was me overcoming writer's block, so at some points I was forcing myself to write ONE. WORD. AT. A. TIME. **

**So… yeah. I don't really have much else to say. This was sort of a filler chapter. Though it DID show a bit about Alexis. **

**Then again, now that I'm over my writer's block, updates will be quicker and better.**

**Thank you for everyone who voted on my poll! If you haven't yet… Go check it out!**

**Talk to y'all later.**

**-Feathers**


	15. Alexis, Jay, and Evelyn

…**.**

**Hi, guys…**

**Um… So, I updated. Finally. I got off my butt and did it.**

**Yay. **

**Has it really been over a month? I NEED to stop procrastinating… Eh, I can change later!**

**I'm sorry if this chapter is just me grasping plot threads that my past self threw in the air. My past self was an idiot. Don't worry, not all chapters will be like that from now on. In fact, I'm gonna try to give the characters that need development more time in the spotlight: Chloe, Bella, Bobby, Leo, and (who was overwhelmingly requested on my poll) Alexis.**

**Oh, and this chapter will be experimenting with different POVs and writing styles! Tell me what you think of each chunk… thing… yeah. And tell me if you want constant POV jumps or if I should just stick to Julia's POV. **

**If some of this feels like parody, that's because I was writing a parody of my life with a friend. This chapter, or the awkward offspring of Briars and When Cute Attacks, is the result. If I suck at humor, I apologize. Just tell me if you like my old style better.**

**One last thing: I found Crowfeather's name on a baby names website. Yeah XD**

I race down the hallway as soon as the bell rings, backpack thrown over my right shoulder. Scratch that, I don't run. It's more of a frenzied gallop. And my shoes probably left skid marks as I turned the corners.

I reach the front doors in record time, swinging them open and rushing outside, ignoring my breath that's heaving in my chest. I'm not the most fit person ever (in fact, I spend most of gym class daydreaming about Warriors), but I can make it home without collapsing. Hopefully.

There are a few odd glances as I scramble home, wearing out my Mary Janes on the rough sidewalk, but I do my best to ignore them as usual. I have to get home and talk to Julia about Donnie and Evelyn. Without me even realizing it, she has become the main person that I confide in, especially since Bethany and Lizzie haven't read Warriors. Yet. I'm working getting them to.

Just as soon as my little green house comes into view, I've raced inside, greeted my cat, skidded into my bedroom with the door swinging shut behind me, and plopped onto my bed with my phone in my hands.

Frantically, I start typing Julia's number. There's a lot that I need to tell her.

…

I sit perched on a windowsill, face pressed against the cool glass. I always come here, up in the dusty old attic, for a spot to be alone. It's in this hidden place that nobody can bother me, except for Holly, who's nosy enough to find me anywhere. I like the isolation- it helps me think. And, jeez, this week held a lot of things to think about…

There's Finn's funeral (which was thoroughly depressing. I miss Finn), Holly (who's finally starting to act like her normal self), "Dad" (who's done nothing but take up space), and Julia (our 'date' was WAY more awkward than it needed to be). Mesh all of that with the fact that the end of the quarter is coming up, and you have yourself a pretty chaotic mess of thoughts.

Before I can react to the sound of footsteps racing my way, I hear the trapdoor swing open on squeaky hinges.

"Jay!" Holly's voice makes me jolt, and I barely manage to keep my balance on the windowsill. Sadly, I can't get out unscathed, and I bang my head on the roof. Yeah, I'm pretty high up.

"Is the world ending or something?" I grunt, clutching my throbbing head. Holly gives a huff of annoyance.

"No, but you need to come here RIGHT. NOW."

"Fine." I grumble, annoyed at getting interrupted. Leaping off of the windowsill, I feel the usual brief sensation that I'm falling from a great height and will never land. (Which'll get your heart racing, let me tell you.) Then my feet hit solid ground, which is met with a flash of relief.

Holly climbs down the ladder and I follow her, letting the silence brew between us. Either she'll spill the beans or I'll find out what's going on- I don't really care. Knowing Holly, it could be anything from a zombie apocalypse to a chipped plate.

Our walk through the halls is completely quiet; as I let my memory guide me and my mind wander. _Daria seemed pretty agitated at the funeral… I mean, I don't BLAME her, but she was definitely more aggressive than her brother… maybe that's just how she handles grief. God, I miss Finn. If only I had been there…_

_And then there's Julia. What the heck do I think of you? Do I like you? As a friend? A crush? What else is there to you that I don't know?_

"No, I'm saying that you TAKE UP ROOM and WASTE MONEY! I'm disappointed in myself for letting you stay in my house, Crofton! You are an ADULT with a HOME who can provide for himself!"

Mom's angry voice certainly snaps me back to reality. Holly and I have reached the living room (Yeah, I know the house well enough by now), and are standing in the doorway. Wow, my brain works well on autopilot…

"Leanne's kicking Crofton out. About time." Holly whispers in my ear, stubbornly refusing to call the two 'Mom' and 'Dad', "Leo's here, too."

"No, duh, Sherlock." I hiss back.

Mom's voice is rising in pitch, and she doesn't seem to have noticed us kids, "You spend your time SLOUCHING around DRUNK! I don't know WHY I ever dated you! So go crawling home and leave my family ALONE!"

Dad finally gets a word in, in his raspy, tired voice.

"Leanne, I love you… I came back for you… I swear, I can CHANGE!"

Next to me, Holly snorts.

To my surprise, Mom retorts, "You left me back in college, loser. If you couldn't change after all this time, you can't change now. Leave. Us. Alone."

My siblings and I are in a sort of stunned silence, all of us anticipating what will happen next. I swear, you could hear a fly buzzing somewhere in the background…

"You know what?" Dad croaks, starting to sound a bit pissed, "Fine. I'll leave you alone. Kick me out onto the street when I'm giving you another chance."

He marches towards the door, anger prickling through the air like lightning bolts. Swinging it open, he shoots back a final retort.

"Fuck you, Leanne."

The moment that follows after he slams the door is full of shock, anger, and then, quite quickly, relief.

…

Fresh paint fumes.

It's an unpleasant, sharp smell. The kind that you wish would just go away.

And it's filling up my entire house.

I scrunch up my nose as I climb up the stairs to my bedroom (which I have to share with my sister), careful not to touch the freshly painted walls of our new house. Everything here is bare, though Mom's already started unpacking things and painting the walls gold in an attempt to make things cheerier.

As if ANYTHING could improve moving to a barren little town, away from your friends, into a house where you're stuck in a bedroom with your perfect twin sister. Not even Mom is that talented, sadly.

Oh, wait… things wouldn't be this bad IF WE HADN'T MOVED IN THE FIRST PLACE.

"Whatever." I scoff to nobody in particular, pushing away my bitter feelings. Right now, I want to change out of my uniform and into more comfortable clothes.

My blonde ponytail swings behind me as I race into my bedroom, slamming the door shut before Donnie can get in. I pull out my dark blue suitcase from next to my makeshift air mattress, picking out a loose-fitting t-shirt, leggings, and well-worn combat boots to change into. One problem about the Artemis Academy uniforms is that the silver skirts are ridiculously itchy.

Making a mental note in my mind to wear leggings under the skirt tomorrow, I change into my outfit and stuff my uniform in my suitcase. I'll worry about closets later (there's only one in the room. It'll be a nightmare to share with Donnie.)

I jog downstairs humming Paramore's Misery Business, greeting Dad as he carries a box of Christmas decorations into the garage.

**I don't know how to end this filler section, so…. POOF! It's over!**

**Okay, I vow to stop procrastinating so you'll get more than just an update every month. You guys deserve more than that.**

**Oh, and since Queen Rebelle's a lot like Ivypool, I decided to go for it and make Evelyn obsessed with Paramore. Sorry, I had to. :P)**

**That's all for now… See you in a week when I ACTUALLY UPDATE AGAIN!**

**-Feathers**


	16. The First of Many Steps

**Hey everyone! NightOfFallingFeathers here… bringing you… another chapter of…. *Yawn***

**What's this called again?**

**Sorry, I haven't gotten much sleep since I discovered the web comic Homestuck… I'll probably write a fanfiction of it soon…. It's REALLY addictive…**

**Also, I decided to stick to Julia's POV, with the occasional POV switch. Yay.**

**So… blah blah blah intro stuff…. I don't own Warriors…**

I drop my pencil in the middle of doing my homeweork, leaving it to roll off the desk as my cell phone rings. It's Alexis again- maybe she has more leads.

I press Talk and hold it up to my ear, "Yeah?"

"Hi." The tiny sixth grader sounds pretty out of breath. That's never a good sign.

"What's up?" I ask, brow furrowed in worry.

"Well… I have a new girl in class," Alexis dives right in, sounding excited, "And she's a human Dovewing! She even has a twin sister named Evelyn, who's obviously Ivypool, and-"

"Alexis!" I interrupt her, inwardly thinking, _not more 'human warriors', _"You KNOW I haven't read the books!"

"Sorry!" She yelps, "Though you really should. They're awesome."

"Alexis…!"

"Okay, okay…" She mutters, "YOU'RE in a bad mood… Dovewing and Ivypool are twin sisters in Warriors. Dovewing's part of this prophecy that leaves her sister out, Ivypool gets jealous and starts training with the enemy… blah, blah blah. You'll find out more WHEN you read the books- hint, hint- but all you need to know right now is that there are more human warriors in town."

"Okay, umm… that's good to know." I respond.

"Julia?" Alexis' voice pricks in concern.

"Yeah?"

"You doing okay?"

"I'm fine… it's just… I feel like we're running in circles, doing the same thing over and over again. And we aren't any closer to finding out WHY this is happening."

"Wow, uh…" Alexis doesn't seem to know how to respond. I don't blame her- I've been holding back these hopeless and frustrated feelings for a while, and just now the dam has burst, "Well, I guess that's true. We COULD be doing more than wondering…"

"Yeah…" I answer, feeling sort of distant and detached- from Alexis or from reality, I can't really tell.

"Wait… I have an idea!" Alexis exclaims, after a few seconds of that awkward silence that seems to be everywhere these days, "What if we called one of the authors of the books?"

"Why?" I protest back, "They'd probably think we were crazy fans under the illusion that we're Warrior cats!"

"True. Don't want to be mistaken for those."

Again with the silence, until I think of something and start to crack up a bit.

"Um… Alexis, you DO know that YOU'RE a crazy fan, right?"

"Yeah, I know." She replies, "And I'm PROUD of it!"

I burst into laughter, "That's true."  
That only lasts so long. We lapse into one of those uncomfortable silences once again.

"Well, call me if you have any leads, okay, Alexis?" I ask.

"Okay. Don't give up, Julia. You aren't that kind of person."

"Of course I won't. Bye."

"Bye."

In a click, I hang up. The quiet emptiness of my room is almost stifling, as I try to focus on algebra with a million thoughts racing through my mind.

...

I think about my conversation with Alexis all of the next day. And the next. And, finally, I come to an agreement in my mind…

You know what? I'm TIRED of flailing around in the dark, hoping I'll stumble upon something useful. From now on, I'll actively work towards the answers. And the first step for that is to know what I'm dealing with.

A few days later, I check out a library book.

It's titled Warriors: Into the Wild.

…

**This chapter was really really really really short… **

**But a LOT is going to happen in the next chapter, which I'll try to post soon, so…**

**Until then.**

**-NightOfFallingfeath… *snore***


	17. Donnie

**Now, here we see a strange phenomenon called the "Update". It occurs when the authoress decides to get off her butt and write, so it naturally is a very rare occurrence. **

**Yeah, hi guys. Sorry for taking forever to update, but I have some excuses:**

**-I'd lost hope in this story for a while: most of the characters seem bland, the plot is slow, and JayXJulia is underdeveloped as all hell. Plus, I don't exactly know how it's going to end… (Don't kill me, it's true). **

**-Guess who has Whooping Cough? I've been stuck with my family in our house, and we can't leave for three more days so we don't infect anyone… doctor's orders, but being quarantined in a house with my little brother doesn't help with focusing on writing.**

**-The quarter is ending, and I have a lot of work to finish.**

**-I'm the world's worst procrastinator.**

**Okay, now that I have my excuses out of the way, here are a few general updates:**

**-I have a new story on my Fictionpress (Feather and Moon) called Aftermath. Please read it and review- feedback is useful and feeds my ever-growing ego!**

**-Now that I had a chapter with swearing, I had to change the age rating to T. Don't know why you needed to know, but… it's an interesting tidbit, I guess.**

**-I'll be posting a new fanfiction soon called The Ultitmate Fanfiction because I need a story that doesn't really take itself seriously. Keep your eyes peeled!**

**-Oh, and I'll be switching around POVs in this story a bit, but I'll use context clues instead of labeling who it is. You guys are smart enough to figure it out.**

**All right, I'll get on with the story already. (By the way, that last cliffhanger seemed kind of stupid…. All of that tension, just because she was FINALLY starting the series?)**

Dinner is candlelit that night, as we're having trouble with the lighting in the new house. I sit between Evelyn and Mom, poking numbly at my tuna salad with a plastic fork.

"How was school?" My mom asks, crunching on celery as she glances at my twin and I.

Evelyn shrugs boredly, "It was a day."

Mom hates it when she replies like that, but this time lets it slide, turning to me instead, "Donnie?"

"The kids seem nice, but I don't have any friends yet." I reply, sniffing at my dinner and gagging, "Why did we have to have tuna? I wanted pasta!"

"Not everything's about you, Donnie." Evelyn mutters under her breath before stuffing some tuna in her mouth. I glare at her, but she doesn't meet my eyes, staring firmly across the room. Sheesh, moody much?

Dad speaks up, "You can heat up some spaghetti if you want to."

I push away my plate, "Fine."

As I get up and leave, I hear Mom bring up a new topic.

"By the way, we're driving back home tomorrow to pick up anything that we left behind and hold an open house for potential home buyers."

I whip around overjoyed, "Does that mean that I get to see Todd?!"

Todd is my boyfriend. Well, my parents only think that he's a friend, since they think I'm too young to date, but what do they know? He's funny, handsome, and nice! Oh, and his brother Finn died recently, which I feel pretty bad about, but Todd seems to be doing okay. Unlike his sister…

My dad shrugs, "Sure, why not? Do you have any friends that you want to see, Evelyn?"

My sister shakes her head, "Not really."

"What about Brendan?" I tease, knowing full well that she had a crush on the black-haired seventh grader. Evelyn shoots me her death glare, but it's worth it.

"You know that he left a while ago, Donnie!" She points out through clenched teeth.

"Oh, right. Sorry." I shrug. Brendan's whole family disappeared a while back, around the time of Finn's death. People say it was because of his dad (who's an alcoholic), but nobody knows for sure. Maybe I shouldn't have teased Evelyn about it, but she had it coming for being so grumpy.

"Anyway," my mom cuts in, giving me a warning glance, "make plans for what you want to do when you get there, girls."

"I'll probably just hang around the house listening to music." Evelyn says flatly, tucking a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear.

Silently making plans to text Todd, I cheerily spin around and grab a can of spaghetti from the kitchen shelf. This weekend is looking up.

…

I finish Into The Wild in a matter of days, practically skimming through the pages on hyperspeed. Nothing out of the ordinary seems to be happening yet (though Graypaw reminds me of my own dad), but I feel like the worst is yet to come.

Setting down the beat-up paperback on the wooden coffee table, I ponder this. In some back corner of my mind, I'd almost been dreading the day that I'd actually start reading Warriors. Maybe it was because I didn't want to believe that Alexis was telling the truth. Or maybe because, if it was mirroring my life, it would hold all-too-familiar painful memories. Ones that I don't exactly feel like returning to.

Mom's calling- it's time for dinner. I wheel into the dining room, making a mental note to check out the next few books tomorrow. I want to read the series as fast as I can, especially since it's supposed to be really long.

Maybe Alexis is lying, or just being really over-imaginative. They can't be that similar to my life…. Right?

**Dang it. I finally update, and it ends up being mainly an author's note. Then again, I did manage to sneak some IvyXBreeze into there (you're welcome, Queen Rebelle), so that's something. I guess.**

**I'll try to post the next chapter soon, since a lot will happen in it… when the heck did this story just become me stringing a bunch of random plot threads together?**

**Well, that's all for now. I'm already working on the next chapter since I don't want to keep y'all waiting again.**

**Bye!**

**-Feathers**


	18. EpicFourthWallBreaking(AndMaybeSomePlot)

**Heyyyyy…. Hi. Hey. Sup. Don't kill me.**

**So I updated. **

**Sorry for the delay. Again. I suck at this and won't go through my long list of excuses this time. **

**I'm not feeling this story anymore, but I'll try to actually finish it instead of just giving it up. Best to finish what I started, right? But if the ending falls flat on its face in a convoluted mess, don't say I didn't warn you.**

**So my new rule is that no scene will exist unless it benefits the "plot" in some way. (****Especially since Julia's as fed up with this meandering as I am.)**

**With that out of the way… Let's advance some PLOT! WHOOPWHOOP.**

* * *

An endless torrent of rain pounds on our family's' little car, creating a relentless drumming sound as we barrel down a long stretch of highway.

I slump back in my seat, trying to cheer myself up despite of the depressing weather. So far, it isn't working.

Donnie seems pretty cheery, at least. She's humming an upbeat tune while texting someone (probably Todd) on her phone. Oh yeah, that's probably why she's in such high spirits. She gets to see her boyfriend again.

"Eve, you okay?"

Donnie must've noticed me glaring at her, since she's finally looked up from her phone.

"I'm fine." I growl, turning my head away from her. Donnie makes a little hurt noise but doesn't press any further.

At that moment, I realize just how bitter I sound.

…

The original arc- done.

The New Prophecy- done.

Power of Three- done.

I read through the books like I've never read before, which earns me bizarre looks from my family. It's not everyday that I leave dinner early just to hide in my room and read. But Mom thinks I'm finally "picking up on my study habits" or something, so there's that.

More deja'vu moments come along the way. Graystripe returns to the clans with a cat named Millie (weird…), which mirrors how my parents met on my dads' cross country trip. Well, he wasn't forced to travel to meet her against his will, thankfully.

Then there's the whole Jaypaw/Hollypaw/Lionpaw thing. Yeah, they're totally not the people I know in real life. Not a _single_ similarity.

Oh, and I had to skip through the part where Millie gave birth to her kits. Too weird for me. (Especially if I'm supposed to be Briarkit.)

I guess the reason that I haven't so much as looked at these books until know is that I'm readily anticipating the painful moments. I don't want to read about Leafpools' lie, after seeing how it's torn apart Hollys' family in real life. I don't want to read about Blossomfall feeling left out, considering I'm the one being spoiled. And I definitely don't want to read about my accident all over again. I've been bracing myself for it to happen ever since Briarkit was introduced. Yeah, fun way to read a book, right?

Alexis wasn't kidding when she said we were like those characters. But the one major difference is that we aren't just characters anymore. And these events do hurt, and do leave lasting marks.

I close The Fourth Apprentice when I've finally finished it, massaging my temples as I push the book away. I've had more than enough Warriors for one night.

* * *

**This whole story is becoming one epic fourth wall break.**

**There, hope you enjoyed Random Plot Threads: The Story! I'll stop beating myself up now.**

**I have quite a bit more prewritten, but this is all I had it in me to type. I'm gonna try to cheer myself up and post some more today, but I wanted to try to at least get something out, no matter how incredibly short. So sorry for the shortest chapter yet, as it seems that I promised a long one.**

**Bye for now.**

**-Night**


	19. About the future of Briars

**So… Hello, y'all. I suppose you're wondering why the heck this late update is just one huge author's note. Well… I have a little story to tell you.**

**Once upon a time, there was a girl. You know this girl. The one in my "100 Reviews- a Story." Me. **

**Well, this girl sat down one day and started typing a little story on her phone. She'd done this millions of times before- none of them ever went anywhere, as she was no good at middles or endings. Only beginnings.**

**This story happened to be about a girl. A paralyzed girl. Named Julia. It wasn't meant to be a fanfiction at first, just a little heartwarming slice of life about the struggles of going through middle school as a paraplegic. Until Holly just turned up in her writing and she gave her two brothers. Then it became a JayXBriar fic. **

**She posted the story on fanfiction dot net, just for the heck of it. Why would such a silly little chapter get any reviews at all? **

**But you know the story from here. I got much more support than I thought I would, and it drove me to write more and more.**

**But all of this writing was from the top of my head. I didn't have a plot planned out. I didn't know where this would go. I was naïve, an inexperienced writer. I've improved since then, if only a little bit.**

**So, what I'm saying is… I'm doing it. I'm canceling Briars. At least I'm keeping it up on the site (which is more than I can say for my Warriors High School story that I plan to promptly delete.) It's been tons of fun, and you know what? I gave it my all. I pored a lot into Briars, but in the end, I don't know where the story is going to go. And that's why I can't continue.**

**I love all of you guys, and I love how you enjoyed my humble little story so much. I hope you keep reading my fanfictions in the future, as I have a lot of ideas that need to be written down and posted. I don't plan to give up on writing. Ever. But I'm just moving on to bigger and better things.**

**I hope you all understand. And once again, thank you for the support. I'll try to find how I wanted to end Briars (just a little paragraph I'd written that wrapped up nothing) and I might post it here. It's old, but manages to be heartwarming.**

**Until then, goodbye.**

**-Night**


End file.
